OPINION LETTER: MANDATED NURSE RATIOS ARE NOT THE ANSWER

BY SUE STUBBS

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, 2018

THE RECORDER

At ServiceNet, a nonprofit serving over 12,000 people a year, we employ therapists, nurses, outreach workers, and more – and all are important members of the team.  As in hospitals, our entire team works together to insure safe, high quality care.  Hospitals are reimbursed based on these measures – so patient safety goes hand in hand with the organization’s financial viability.

Question 1 would mandate rigid government-imposed nurse staffing ratios at Massachusetts hospitals.  Its advocates claim this would make care safer.  However, California, which is the only state with a nurse staffing ratio law (passed in 2004) ranks just 25th in the nation for safety.  Massachusetts hospitals rank fourth (spring 2018 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade).

We urge you to vote NO on Question 1, and here’s why:

While having more nurses would seem to benefit patients, rigid ratio requirements for each unit would rob nurse managers of the flexibility to assign nurses where they are needed most.

There are currently 1,200 vacant RN positions in Massachusetts.  If this question were to pass, hospitals would need to hire a daunting 4,700 more nurses.

Community health centers, nursing homes, behavioral health and addiction programs are already struggling to find nurses; increased competition for nurses would make this problem worse.

Nurse staffing ratios could cost about $1 billion annually.This could mean higher taxes and health insurance premiums, which would hit our lower income neighborhoods the hardest.

Hospitals would not initially be allowed to lay off LPNs, CNAs, and other workers to pay for additional nurses.  But we worry that over time there would be more RNs but fewer staff overall.  This may be one reason why some unions are not supporting Question 1.

Hospitals would be fined $25,000 each time they failed to meet ratios.  So they might have no choice but to turn away patients and/or close services.  Some of our community hospitals might be forced to close.

Government-mandated nurse staffing ratios are not the answer, and could produce many unintended negative consequences.

On behalf of the ServiceNet Board of Directors, please consider voting “No” on Question 1.