Nurses have been calling for U.S. legislators to take action to address the national nurse staffing crisis for months to no avail. Almost 400 nurses traveled to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., June 15 to make sure Congress hears their message — loud and clear.
The nurses, who hail from 49 states, are all members of the American Nurses Association. They are calling for legislation that mandates nurse-to-patient ratios to better balance nurse workload — a move the ANA said would create safer nurse working environments and ensure optimum patient care.
"Every nurse should advocate for the staffing solutions that they know will work best in their practice setting, including minimum nurse-to-patient ratios," Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, RN, president of ANA, said in a June 15 news release from the organization
Nurses also want seats at the tables where staffing decisions are being made.
"When any staffing approach, legislation or regulation is being considered, nurses must be the primary decision-makers to ensure that the approach is enforceable, specific to the care setting and unit, accounts for patients who require critical care and balances the workload of nurses," Dr. Mensik Kennedy said.
The organization said unsafe work environments, mandatory overtime, workplace violence and barriers to full practice authority are the leading causes of the nurse staffing crisis hospitals are currently facing.
In addition to calling on Congress to "implement nurse staffing standards to ensure nurses have the time and the resources that they need to deliver quality care and positive outcomes," ANA is urging lawmakers to prohibit mandatory overtime for nurses by enacting legislation. The organization is also asking lawmakers to direct the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to create national standards to guard against healthcare workplace violence.
"While ANA supports nurse-to-patient ratios, we know that ratios alone will not improve safe staffing for nurses," said Debbie Hatmaker, PhD, RN, ANA's chief nursing officer. "Ultimately, the nurse staffing crisis requires a national dialogue and ongoing collaboration between nurses, Congressional leaders and other key stakeholders to support our nursing workforce, our patients, and our nation's health and well-being."
ANA is working with legislators and CMS to create nurse staffing standards and the potential to pilot new nursing models, led by direct-care nurses, that optimize working conditions and provide the best care for patients.