Nurse-patient ratio

Nurse- enduring symmetry laws be state mandates requiring infirmarys to keep to a maximum sealing limit of the ratio of nurses to patients. At the moment, states that have yet to apply any nurse-patient ratio limits typically charge each of their nurses the care of at least 6 nurses and flat as high as 8 to 10 (Churchouse, 2002). Barnes-Jewish hospital for exemplar has a ratio of 1 nurse to 10 patients (St. Louis, 2004). Californias Assembly peak 394 is unmatchable of the forerunning legislations that mandated the regulation of nurse-patient ratios across hospitals.This bill had been largely contested by hospital lobbyists who are now bartering with state officials on the most ductile regulations that could be imposed. While nurse associations and nursing attention unions all everywhere the country are proposing the ideal 12 ratio, hospital counseling firmly claim this to be impossible. In some other states such(prenominal) as Illinois, staging progression procedures hav e been introduced as a possible means to improve nurse-patient ratios over a period of 5-10 years (Bartolomeo, 2001).Since later on the Second World War, the problem of increasing nurse-patient ratios have begun to accrue. By the mid-80s the pressure level need for more than nurses became even more drastic when the academe saying a decline in the local pauperization for the profession. This eventually lead hospitals to searching for nurses abroad which continued to persist to the present day.However, outsourcing the nurse bestow was also coupled by hospital management cutbacks on runging which hushed resulted to poor nurse-patient ratios. Hospitals also allegedly imposeed management regulations preventing nursing staff from discussing and objecting to nurse-patient hospital policies. However by the late 90s, nursing unions have begun to seek help from media institutions, local communities, and contract negotiators to help them bargain less back up working conditions wit h hospital management. This led the nursing unions to asking help from their esteemive(prenominal) state governments.Finally in January of 2002, Californias AB 394 mandated the put out of staffing ratios in hospitals throughout the state, but this victory of the nursing unions was short-lived as hospital management immediately bargained with legislators for staffing ratios that were most advantageous for them. While nursing organizations persisted with a 12 to a 14 ratio, hospital lobbyists led by the California Healthcare Association, a consortium of euchre hospitals insisted that the acceptable nurse-patient ratio could be no less than 16. Currently, one of the countrys largest Health Management Organizations, Kaiser Permanente broke away from the plenty of institutions opposed to lower nurse-patient ratios and advocated a 14 ratio that it shortly implements in its facilities.Kaiser discussed further ways of lowering the ratio with nursing unions and concur to have the approv ed recommendations of such discussions implemented on all Kaiser possess establishments (Bartolomeo, 2001). Current working conditions lead nurses into compromising situations wherein their work suffers because of the immense numeral of tasks that they have to do all at once.While some hospitals implement fair policies that allow nurses enough room to breathe in their work, a lot more hospitals and wellness care organizations are run by profit oriented groups whose main concern includes minimizing costs. Whats worse is that since health care in various parts of the country has been transformed into a corporate affair amid gigantic businesses who buy health care plans from HMOs who sell them, disceptation has become a matter of who can fork over the go bad corporate deal over who can provide better hospital service.Since the patients dont have much choice with respect to which health care deals their employer will take, this rules out quality by competition from ushering hospi tals to make nurse-patient ratio improvements on their own. Thus, a state mandated regulation is the however way to force these hospitals to provide an appropriate working environment for their nurses.thither are several controversial aspects to the legislation of nurse-patient ratio regulation. One touristy controversy is the actual capability of todays supply of nurses to charter in the vacancies that would be created by such legislation. The Illinois Hospital Association contends that catamenia nursing programs of the state are not viable to handle the demand for the number of nurses required to maintain the ratios mandated by laws like Californias AB394. Another criticism is insensitivity of a rigid nurse-patient ratio to patients individual medical differences.Critics also point out differences between hospitals, resources and even nursing units which could be blurred out in the effectuation of a state mandate indiscriminately throughout all hospitals. I believe that hospi tal policies at the moment are more profit-oriented than health oriented. It is this slippery slope that leads to understaffing and overly high nurse-patient ratios. However, I also study that an inflexible legislation on nurse-patient ratios would do little to solve the problem. Nurses from divers(prenominal) units are very different and there needs to be more extensive needs analysis studies conducted before a proper legislative action could be taken.Therefore while I am in favor of state legislation in order to curb inbred profit-oriented biases of hospital management, I am not in favor of willy-nilly implementing one at the moment without considering factors forwarded by institutions like the Illinois Hospital Association. resembling I said, I believe that while the California legislation is a victory for the labor rights of nurses in the state, it does not ensure an increase in nursing quality. I would consider the act positive with respect to labor rights but neutral with respect to patient care. Extensive scrutiny should be placed on the issues that arose after the legislation such as the differences among hospitals, resources, and nursing units. ReferencesChurchouse, C. (2002). Senate Community Affairs References Committee Inquiry Into Nursing. Retrieved July 19, 2007 from http//72.14.235.104/search?q=cacheuQtMh4POYlUJwww.aph.gov.au/senate/ charge/clac_ctte/completed_inquiries/2002-04/nursing/submissions/sub04.doc+current+nurse-patient+ratiohl=tlct=clnkcd=3gl=phBartolomeo, C. (2001). Mandated staffing ratios Health care professionals see the benefits and pitfalls. ledger of the American Federation of Teachers. Vol. 30 Issue 2. P.114-118.Barnes-Jewish Hospital seeks to lower nurse-patient ratio. Retrieved July 19, 2007 from St. Louis Business Journal Website http//www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2004/11/29/daily50.html