While registered nurses make up the majority of health care professionals in the U.S. with over 2.2 million nationwide and over 50,000 here in Washington state, we are faced with a nursing shortage. The primary reason for the current staffing crisis is deteriorating working conditions. Forced overtime routinely requires nurses to work 16 hours or more in a day. Many studies have confirmed that better health care outcomes correlate directly with appropriate staffing levels and higher ratios of RNs in the staffing mix. Specifically, when there are more nurses, there are lower mortality rates, shorter lengths of stay, lower costs, and fewer complications.
Patient care is compromised when there is inadequate staffing of registered nurses.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the rate of injuries and illnesses among hospitals and nursing home workers rose significantly in recent years, surpassing that of workers in the private industry. Nurses with personal examples of forced overtime, staffing concerns, and workplace injuries are scheduled to share their experience at the rally. As the keynote speaker, Congressman Jim McDermott will emphasize the myriad of contributions by nurses and the nursing profession and what Congress is doing to ensure quality patient care and a safe workplace for nurses. The looming nursing shortage presents a public health crisis in America. We must take action now to offer our nurses the safe and supportive working conditions they deserve.