Registered nurse members of the Maine State Nurses Association (MSNA) held a rally in Augusta today, May 4, and testified at a hearing before the state legislature’s Labor and Housing Committee. They testified in support of the Maine Quality Care Act, a bill that would create legally enforceable nurse-to-patient ratios.
This legislation is sponsored by Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Scarborough), and will limit the number of patients that nurses can be given in their patient care assignments.
Numerous studies show that placing limits on the number of patients a nurse has in their assignment improves patient health outcomes and protects the health and safety of nurses.
MSNA President Cokie Giles, RN said:
As nurses, our priority is our patients, not hospital profits. Without safe and reasonable ratios, nurses cannot give the care they want and have been trained to give.
Read the Maine Quality Care Act (LD 1639) HERE.
