Legislated mandatory staffing ratios: Why they don't work!

Session
Inpatient and ancillary Services

Author
Frank Overfelt
President
Delta Healthcare Consulting Group

Description
Having originated in California in 1999, 13 state legislatures are considering legislated mandatory staffing ratios for hospitals in their states. Find out more about this legislation before it "comes to a theatre near you." And, if it's "now playing," learn what you can do to educate your legislators so the bill won't pass.

Abstract
This presentation will address a brief history of nurse staffing ratios and how those ratios evolved into legislated mandatory staffing ratios. The impact of these legislated ratios after five years in California will be presented. The pros and cons of mandatory staffing ratios will be presented as found in literature searches. The audience will be educated on the important criteria which need to be considered in establishing workable staffing ratios. Informational material will be provided which will enable the attendees to discuss the differences between well-established staffing ratios and arbitrarily mandated staffing ratios.

Attendees will learn which organizations support legislated mandatory staffing ratios and which organizations don't, and why. Two principal management engineering professional organizations have stated a strong position against legislated mandatory staffing ratios.