Measure would require hospitals to divulge nurse staffing levels
Naples Daily News
Groups representing nurses in Florida want patients to know how much
hands-on care they can expect to receive in hospitals, so they are
supporting legislation that would require Florida hospitals to report
nurse staffing levels to state regulators.
Bills have been filed in the state House and Senate that would
require the state Agency for Health Care Administration to develop
rules for hospitals to report average nurse-to-patient ratios in
different clinical areas.
The state’s largest health care union, SEIU Florida Healthcare,
which is trying to organize registered nurses with the NCH Healthcare
System, is a bill sponsor. The Florida Nurses Association is supporting
it.
...
“It will give a fair idea to consumers about how much time they will
have (with nurses),” said Ann Andersen, a registered nurse in the
emergency room at NCH North Naples Hospital and supporter of the local
unionizing effort. “It is not a union nurse issue. It is a nursing
issue. You can find out anything about a car but you can’t find out
about your care. It doesn’t make sense.”
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