To: Abigail Spanberger

From: Kasey Mitchell, LPN.

Date: October 27th, 2019.
Subject: H.R.2581 Nursing Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act 2019

Nurses, along with the interdisciplinary team, provide exceptional care to those who are at their most
vulnerable point in their life. Patients rely on nurses to advocate for them, coordinate their care and
educate them regarding their disease process. With the increasing number of hospital admissions, there
are simply not enough nurses to accommodate the patients, leading to unsafe nurse to patient ratios. This
epidemic significantly impacts patient outcomes and creates a faster nurse burnout rate. As a nurse, I
proudly support H.R.2581 Nursing Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act
2019. Safe nurse to patient ratios should be enforced for the protection of our patients and the nurses. 
It is crucial that healthcare providers provide safe and adequate care to their patients. The nurse-to-
patient ratios directly impact the care that we provide. Appropriate staffing benefits the patients in
multiple ways, including reducing mortality rates, the length of stay and the number of preventable events
[i.e. falls, hospital acquired infections, sentinel events, etc.] (“Nursing Staffing”). 

 Hospitals that have a nurse-to-patient of 1:8, experience five additional deaths per 1,000
patients compared to a 1:4 nurse-to-patient ratio (“Research Shows Safe Staffing Saves
Lives”) 

 For each additional patient exceeding the safe nurse-to-patient ratio, the odds of patient
death increase by 7% (“Research Shows Safe Staffing Saves Lives”).

 It has been proven that negative patient outcomes, including pneumonia, post-operative
infections, pressure ulcers, urinary tract infections ad lengths of patient stays were
drastically reduced where nurse-to-patient staff ratios were higher (Ballard, n.d.) 

 Mandated nurse-to-patient ratios were recently implemented in the state of California.

Since then, hospital income rose significantly from $12.5 billion to more than $20.6
billion. (“Research Shows Safe Staffing Saves Lives”)

Recommendation: Vote to pass H.R.2581 Nursing Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and
Quality Care Act 2019. As you can see, unsafe nurse-to-patient ratios affect the patient, the hospital, and
the nurse itself negatively. Our patients rely on us, as nurses, to take care of them to our best ability.
Implementing mandated nurse-to-patient ratios will allow us nurses to work at our best ability and
improve patient outcomes. 

It is my duty to advocate for my patients and the nursing profession. I will continue to support for the
implementation of H.R.2581 Nursing Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act
2019 in hopes to promote better outcomes for my patients.
 Reference

Ballard, K. A. (n.d.). Patient Safety: A Shared Responsibility. Retrieved from

http://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJ

IN/TableofContents/Volume82003/No3Sept2003/PatientSafety.html?_ga=2.170131936.1

987401319.1572207712-2060061236.1572207709.

Nurse Staffing. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nurse-

staffing/#research.

Registered Nurses: Occupational Outlook Handbook. (2019, September 4). Retrieved from

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm#tab-2

Research Shows Safe Staffing Saves Lives. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.nysna.org/experience-and-research-show-safe-staffing-ratios-work-

0#.XbYL9y2ZNlN.