National Union of Hospital and Healthcare Workers. District 1199 New Mexico. AFSCME -- AFL-CIO

For more information on how to contact your legislator, what committees the bill is in, what is in the bill, and further steps you can take, check out: http://christuslaboractionsantafe.org/

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There are many links that describe the problem, and solutions.

If you or someone you care about has to be in a hospital you may be interested to know: This bill legislates nurse to patient ratios.

higher nurse staffing levels were associated with fewer deaths, lower failure-to-rescue incidents, lower rates of infection, and shorter hospital stays. http://journals.lww.com/nursingresearchonline/Abstract/2012/01000/Nurse_Staffing_and_Patient_Safety_in_Hospitals_.2.aspx

In March 2011, Dr. Jack Needleman and colleagues published findings in the New England Journal of Medicine, which indicate that insufficient nurse staffing was related to higher patient mortality www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1001025

lower nurse-patient ratios on medical and surgical units were associated with significantly lower patient mortality rates. The study is titled “Implications of the California Nurse Staffing Mandate on Other States.” www.nursing.upenn.edu/chopr/Documents/Aiken.2010.CaliforniaStaffingRatios.pdf

“Nurse Staffing and Inpatient Hospital Mortality,” the researchers also found that when a nurse’s workload increases because of high patient turnover, mortality risk also increases. www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMsa1001025

Increases in registered nurse staffing was associated with reductions in hospital-related mortality and failure to rescue as well as reduced length of stays. In settings with inadequate staffing, patient safety was compromised. www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/nursestaff/nursestaff.pdf

Most hospital RNs (93%) report major problems with having enough time to maintain patient safety, detect complications early, and collaborate with other team members. www.medscape.com/viewpublication/785_index

Consumers reported that the most important issues affecting medical error rates are workload, stress or fatigue among health professionals (74%); too little time spent with patients (70%); and too few nurses (69%). This survey was sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Harvard School of Public Health. www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/

every additional patient in an average hospital nurse’s workload increased the risk of death in surgical patients by 7%. Having too few nurses may actually cost more given the high costs of replacing nurses and caring for patients with poor outcomes. http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/288/16/1987.fullpomr111704pkg.cfm

According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in May 2002, a higher proportion of nursing care provided by RNs and a greater number of hours of care by RNs per day are associated with better outcomes for hospitalized patients. This extensive study was conducted by Drs. Jack Needleman and Peter Buerhaus. http://content.nejm.org

http://www.uexcel.com/resources/articles/NursingTurnover.pdf

Pay now or pay later. You could be paying with the life of someone you care about or yourself. Vote yes House Bill 321