Nurses do so much for their patients. So, why are hospitals making it hard for them to do their jobs? Some New York hospitals force nurses to take on as many as 12 patients at once. When that happens, patient care suffers. The number of patients assigned to a nurse has a direct impact on his/her ability to appropriately assess, monitor, care for and safely discharge patients.

Studies show that inadequate staffing levels contribute to increased risk of patient falls, bedsores, hospital-acquired infections, medication errors, and even mortality.

Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has shown that the odds of patient death increased by 7% for each additional patient a nurse must care for at one time Yet New York hospitals STILL refuse to adopt safe nurse-patient staffing levels. When the number of Registered Nurses on duty is increased by just a small amount patient risks are reduced!

The fact is, more nurses with fewer patients saves lives. Not only does safe staffing save lives, but it’s cost-effective! When patients get better care, they heal quicker and stay healthy longer.

After California passed a safe staffing law in 2004, patient outcomes improved dramatically, and hospitals have been saving money over the long term. That’s why the Campaign for Patient Safety is fighting for New Yorkers to get the quality of care they need and deserve.

Sign the petition to tell your lawmakers to vote for the Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act (S.782/A.8580-A) and make sure a nurse is there when you need one.