Post by Logan on Mar 28, 2017 4:27:38 GMT -6
LANSING - Hundreds of nurses clogged the Capitol lawn on Wednesday to again demand that the Legislature pass minimum staffing levels, an effort that hasn't worked for at least two legislative terms.
Nurses in Michigan and around the country complain that staffing shortages lead to mandatory overtime that is causing nurse fatigue and putting patients at risk. In 2015, the State Journal chronicled several examples of nurses at state-run psychiatric hospitals being forced to work double shifts sometimes several days a week.
Legislation that would require hospitals to maintain minimum staffing levels was introduced in both the House and Senate last year, but neither received even a committee hearing. Similar legislation also failed in the 2013-2014 term. Legislation has yet to be introduced this term. Hospital officials oppose the efforts, saying it can be difficult to recruit nurses and deciding staffing levels is best left to individual hospitals, not the state.
www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/capitol/2017/03/22/nurses-again-demand-help-capitol/99484506/
Nurses in Michigan and around the country complain that staffing shortages lead to mandatory overtime that is causing nurse fatigue and putting patients at risk. In 2015, the State Journal chronicled several examples of nurses at state-run psychiatric hospitals being forced to work double shifts sometimes several days a week.
Legislation that would require hospitals to maintain minimum staffing levels was introduced in both the House and Senate last year, but neither received even a committee hearing. Similar legislation also failed in the 2013-2014 term. Legislation has yet to be introduced this term. Hospital officials oppose the efforts, saying it can be difficult to recruit nurses and deciding staffing levels is best left to individual hospitals, not the state.
www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/capitol/2017/03/22/nurses-again-demand-help-capitol/99484506/