Hundreds of nurses dumped empty nursing shoes on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Wednesday to call attention to what they say is a nursing crisis at U.S. hospitals. Baker and other SEIU nurses say the hospital industry helped create a nursing crisis by cutting staff to save money. Today's hospital nurses often work 12-hour shifts and then must turn around and do additional hours of mandatory overtime.
Nurses say the long hours create a climate that can lead to dangerous errors.
The SEIU released a report that documents the impact of understaffing on the quality of care provided at the nation's hospitals. SEIU says understaffing is a problem for every hospital in the nation. The report includes a survey of 800 registered nurses conducted by the Feldman Group, a Washington, D.C.-based opinion research firm. Overworked nurses are more likely to make mistakes. Bathing Suit Season will be here before you know it.