California Nurse-Patient Ratio

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how the nursing shortage and repercussions in nursing attrition and compromised patient care led to numerous attempts at forcing mandatory nurse-patient ratio legislation in California until finally, the bill was signed into law in 1999. This paper reviews the bill including the history and ramifications of the legislation and focuses on implications for the nursing profession and others.

From the Paper:

"In 1999, California became the first state in the union to impose mandatory nurse-patient ratios (Sabin, 2004; Wilson, 2004; Dumpel, 2005; Gedhill, 2005; "Hospitals struggle," 2005; Evans, 2006). The legislation requires that med-surg nurses would no longer be responsible for more than five or six patients each, during the phased in approach to the bill. According to research, the bill required that as of January 1, 2004, no more than six patients per nurse be assigned and that by January 1, 2005 the number be reduced to the assignment of no more than five patients per nurse (Sabin, 2004; Gedhill, 2005; "Hospitals struggle," 2005; Evans, 2006). Governor Gray Davis signed the California Staffing Ratio Law, AB 394 into law on October 10, 1999, although attempts to pass such legislation dated back to 1193 with the introduction of AB 1445 that was defeated (Dumpel, 2005). "

More papers on California Nurse-Patient Ratio:

• Analytical Essay # 129459 : "Nurse:Patient Ratio in California"
• Term Paper # 133604 : "Mandated Nurse-Patient Ratios"
• Term Paper # 96787 : "Nurse-to-Patient Ratios"

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