WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congresswoman Lois Capps (CA-23) and Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-5) announced the introduction of legislation that would improve patient care and support nurses in health care facilities.  The bill, the Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act (HR 4138), would require health care facilities to work with nursing staff to implement a system that ensures appropriate nurse staffing levels are present to promote quality patient care.

“For the sake of our patients and our nurses we have to do a better job of ensuring there are enough nurses on staff to provide quality patient care,” said Capps, a nurse and member of the Health Subcommittee.  “It comes as no surprise that when there aren’t enough nurses on the job there is an increased chance of medical errors.  Furthermore, the strain on overworked nurses leads to burnout, greater stress on the job and more nurses leaving the profession.  We all want patients to have the best possible care and nurse staffing practices that promote a safe and healthy work environment are a key element in reaching that goal.  This legislation encourages nurses and hospitals to work together to make sure the right number of nurses are there to provide the excellent care that each and every patient deserves.”

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in May of 2002 found that higher levels of nursing care correlate with better patient care and outcomes in hospitals.  Another study in 2002 by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO) found that nearly one‑quarter of all unanticipated events that result in death, injury or permanent loss of function result from inadequate nurse staffing levels.  And research published in the October 23, 2002 Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that a patient's overall risk of death rose roughly 7 percent for each additional patient above four on a nurse’s workload.

“Safe staffing saves lives,” said ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR. “This legislation is vital to protect patients and improve the working environment for nurses. ANA applauds these lawmakers for their commitment to improving the quality of patient care, and putting an end to unsafe staffing practices.”

Appropriate staffing is the number one concern of nurses today and is critical to the delivery of quality patient care.  Proper staffing levels allow nurses the time they need to make patient assessments, complete nursing tasks, respond to health care emergencies, and provide the level of care that their patients deserve.  Proper staffing levels also increase nurse satisfaction and reduce staff turnover, an important priority given today’s nursing shortage and the projected shortfalls in the future.

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Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.