How Can I Advocate For Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act

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On February 15, 2018, the newest safe nurse staffing bill was introduced to the U.S. Congress. The pecker (H.R.5052 and S.2446) has bipartisan support, and is championed by Reps. David Joyce (R-OH), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), as well as Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR).

In the by, several safe staffing bills accept been presented in previous Congresses but take failed to pass committee. This bill, the Safe Staffing for Nurse and Patient Safety Act of 2018, is slightly different than previous iterations. Under this staffing legislation, Medicare-participating hospitals would be required to class committees that would create and implement unit specific, nurse-to-patient ratio staffing plans. At least one-half of each committee must comprise straight care nurses.

"It is so of import for nurses on the forepart lines to be able to have a say in what they believe is safe staffing," says Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, the president of the American Nurses Association (ANA). "This bill benefits bedside nurses by giving them decision-making power, control, and the ability to influence the commitment of rubber intendance," Cipriano continues.

A committee made of staff nurses—who would brand staffing decisions that directly affect their own units—is so important because it is nurses who can best appraise patient needs and the resources required to provide safety patient intendance. Staffing committees would be able to address the unique needs of specific units and patient populations by involving specialty nurses in the decisions, and would have the power to modify the hospital safety plans as needed.

Overwhelmingly, enquiry supports acceptable nurse staffing. Over the final several decades, literature has demonstrated a subtract in patient morbidity and mortality and an increase in patient safety when units are well staffed. "With adequate amounts of staffing we come across bloodshed go downward and patient complications can be prevented or diminished," Cipriano says. "It is of import for nurses to accept sufficient resources to care for patients, because nurses feel moral distress when they cannot provide the care they know a patient needs."

Brusk-irresolute patients too contributes to nurse burnout, and depression nursing retention is expensive. Additionally, acceptable nurse staffing leads to reduced health care costs, equally a consequence of fewer hospital readmissions, hospital-caused infections, medical errors, and other meaning measurable patient outcomes. "Patients deserve to take the right intendance," Cipriano says. "They need to be kept condom, and the best mode to prevent problems and complications is to have the correct nurse staffing."

Is there hope that this bill will pass, when and so many previous iterations have not? "It may be difficult to laissez passer the legislation, even this time effectually," Cipriano admits. "But the almost important impact is that every fourth dimension we have an opportunity to have this legislation discussed, it'due south another opportunity to educate another conclusion maker. Whether it is congresspeople, their staff, or other leaders in their communities, it gives u.s.a. the opportunity to continue to reinforce why it is and so important to have the right nursing intendance."

It is ethically challenging when a nurse is asked to take staffing assignments that do not experience prophylactic. On many units, nurses are expected to care for several acute and critically ill patients at a fourth dimension, and are given patient loads that stretch them far across their reasonable care delivery capabilities. What should a nurse do when faced with an unsafe assignment? Nurses should raise immediate concerns past post-obit the chain of command, and talking with immediate supervisors to express that they believe the situation is unsafe. "The beginning obligation is to make sure that no patient is left uncared for," Cipriano says. "Short term, use the chain of command and do everything you can within in your power to make sure that you're providing at to the lowest degree the minimum care the patient needs." Longer-term, if nurses truly believe that their organization is not supporting the right staffing ratios, the ANA encourages an active dialogue with leadership, such as a conversation with responsible nursing leaders, quality directors, or patient intendance committees or councils to focus attention to the effect.

"Nursing care is like a medication," Cipriano says. "Yous wouldn't withhold a life-saving medication, so why would yous withhold the right amount or correct dose of nursing care?"

If y'all are passionate about safe staffing laws, consider calling or writing your congressperson and encourage them to support the Rubber Staffing for Nurse and Patient Safety Human action of 2018.