Massachusetts voters reject nurse staffing proposal: 5 things to know

A proposal to implement mandatory nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in Massachusetts failed during this year's midterm elections on Nov. 6, according to WBUR.

Here are five things to know:

1. Question 1 called for nurse staffing ratios for patients. In some cases, nurses would be required to care for six patients, while in other situations, the ratio would be 1-to-1. The proposal was spearheaded by the Massachusetts Nursing Association.

2. Proponents of the "Yes to 1" campaign held a lead in the polls for roughly two months after the proposal was certified for the ballot. However, opinion on the proposal had flipped by late October.

3. As of Nov. 5, the "No to 1" campaign spent roughly $24.5 million to persuade voters, while proponents of the proposal spent $11.6 million, according to WBUR.

4. In one poll reported on by The Boston Globe, voters said their decision to vote "no" was largely influenced by conversations with nurses, rather than by ads alone. Opponents of the proposal, including many hospital executives, also received support from a report by the Health Policy Commission, which estimated the proposal would raise healthcare costs by between $676 million and $949 million per year.

5. California remains the only state with mandatory nurse staffing ratios.

To access the full report, click here.

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