AONL to NYT Op-Ed: Nurses, Not Legislators, Should Decide Appropriate Nurse Staffing

The essay Nurses Deserve Better. So Do Their Patients is right to note the “awesome” impact that nurses have within our health care system and in the battle against Covid-19. The author sadly misses the point in her assessment of legislation on patient-to-nurse staffing ratios. While we can all agree that staffing is a critical component of good care, mandated nurse staffing ratios removes needed flexibility from nurses for the care they provide. Ratios are a static and ineffective tool that cannot guarantee a safe heath care environment. Care is team based and a lack of flexibility to provide staffing based on the acuity of individual patient needs jeopardized safe patient care. To truly commit to patient safety – always the number one priority - nurses; not legislators need to be empowered with flexibility to determine appropriate staffing for the needs of their patients.

Mary Ann Fuchs, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, is president of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership.