Safe Staffing Lobby Day Gets Results
Yesterday, May 20th, nearly 200 NYSNA nurses went to Albany to let our elected representatives know: safe staffing saves lives.
We joined a coalition that included 1199SEIU, PEF, NYSUT Healthcare Professionals, and CWA to lobby for Bill A6571, the “Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act.” Equipped with research from California’s successful experience implementing safe staffing ratios, we took meeting with legislators and their aides to convince them to support the bill.
We told our stories of understaffed units, discussed the many studies showing greater patient outcomes with safe staffing ratios, and demonstrated that, far from costing hospitals so much money they would close, safe staffing can save money through cutting down on expensive readmissions.
Our voices are being heard: while we were in our meetings, we received word that the bill had passed the Health Committee! Next, it’s on to Codes.
NYSNA President Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez: "Safe staffing isn't just a union issue, it's a human rights issue. It's about the right of every patient to receive safe quality care."
With State Sen. James Sanders, who represents Queens and supports safe staffing.