I am writing in opposition to Question 1 on the November ballot, which I believe threatens patient safety by mandating nurses staff ratios. It’s not that I don’t support nurses. In fact, the opposite is true. Many years ago as a young adult I was hit by a car. I spent several months in the hospital and that’s when nursing rose to the top of my “most admired profession list.” I believe my appreciation and gratitude for nursing lead to my long career working in health care. Nurses continue to be my inspiration as I watch them exercise stellar professional judgment and caring each day.
Question 1 and government mandated ratios will be so rigid and inflexible that nurses will no longer be allowed to use their experience and judgment to best match the needs of patients. Question 1, if passed, will lead to longer wait times in hospital emergency departments. It will put nurses in the untenable position of having to deny care to a patient in the waiting room or admitting the patient and risking hefty fines for the hospital if the ratio is not met. This is an unintended consequence of Question 1.
Additionally, it is estimated that Massachusetts hospitals would need to hire 5,000 more nurses to comply with Question 1 mandates. In this era of nursing shortages, it is simply not realistic that hospitals can recruit, hire and train this many nurses to meet the mandate. And, if they could, where will the nurses come from? Some would come from skilled nursing facilities which would leave those programs understaffed — yet another unintended consequence.
I believe the ability of our top-notch health care professionals to do their job is threatened by Question 1, a misguided and dangerous proposal to impose rigid, costly and unproven staffing mandates for registered nurses at every hospital in Massachusetts. Please support nurses by demanding that medical decisions be made by experienced medical professionals, not by government mandate. Join me in voting NO on Question 1.
Marilyn A. Richards
Florence