Registered nurses in Maine and members of the state's nursing association testified May 4 at a legislative hearing in support of statewide regulations on nurse-to-patient staffing ratios.
The Maine Quality Care Act was introduced by senator state Sen. Stacy Brenner on May 4. Nurses testified the bill would address the "root" of many issues they face.
"We have 20 years of experience and authoritative data to show that enforceable nurse-to-patient ratios keep patients and nurses safe, can save hospitals money, and bring nurses back to the bedside," said Cokie Giles, RN, president of the Maine State Nurses Association in a May 4 statement. "Enforceable RN-to-patient ratios get to the root of the problem and help us solve the current nurse staffing crisis."
Patient ratios continue to be a highly contested topic between hospitals and nurses associations, across the country. Lawmakers in Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts and Connecticut are all hoping to do the same.