Massachusetts Hospitals Oppose Lowering Nurse-Patient Ratio

Nurses and hospital executives in Massachusetts are at odds over a bill that would require lowering nurse-patient ratios within the state.

Hospital executives oppose the bill, saying it would increase expenses without improving care, according to a New England Public Radio report.

The bill would add $500 million to annual healthcare costs statewide, said Steven Bradley, head of government relations at Springfield, Mass.-based Baystate Health. For Baystate specifically, the bill would require the hospital to add 200 nurses to meet the new requirements and would add $20 million in extra costs, said Mr. Bradley in the report.

However, the bill has the support of the Massachusetts Nurses Association. They contend lower nurse-patient ratios improve quality of patient care and decrease the mortality rate. The union is poised to make the issue a ballot question in November, according to the report.

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