Madeleine Golde, MSSW, Service Employees International Union, 1313 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005, 202/898-3200, goldem@seiu.org

There are not enough nurses to do what needs to be done on any given shift and the nurses who are on duty are exhausted and stressed. Studies confirm that understaffing causes patient care to suffer and nurses to leave their profession. This presentation will address the status of federal and state legislation that seeks to establish improved standards for nurse staffing in response to the staffing crisis and improve the quality of patient care. Such legislation includes provisions limiting mandatory overtime and the establishment of nurse-to-patient ratios.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• Describe and discuss At the conclusion of the presentation, the participant will be able to
  1)Describe and discuss the legislative changes nurses believe are needed to retain nurses and improve quality patient care. 2)Analyze and discuss what is happening on the state and federal levels to advance such legislative solutions to the nurse staffing crisis.
  • Evaluate the prospects for the passage of nurse staffing legislation.

  Keywords: Nurses,

  Related Web page: www.seiu.org

  Presenting author's disclosure statement:
  I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

  The Nurse Staffing Crisis: Solutions

  The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA