6.16.03

More than 500 Nurses and Health Care Advocates Will Converge on the State House for a June 18 Press Conference & Legislative Hearing on a Bill to Regulate RN-to-Patient Ratios in Hospitals

9:30 a.m. Press Conference Will Announce Results of Statewide Survey of Mass. RNs Showing Alarming Threat to Patient Safety Caused by Poor RN-to-Patient Ratios

New Bill is Key to Improving Patient Care and Solving the Nursing Shortage

WHAT: The Massachusetts Nurses Association will hold a press conference to release the results of a new statewide survey of Mass. RNs. The survey, the first in a number of years to examine Massachusetts nurses' views on the quality of patient care and nurse staffing in area hospitals, follows three national studies that paint a shocking picture of the quality and safety of patient care, spelling out in detail the conditions in Massachusetts that pose danger for patients and feed the current nursing shortage.

Following the press conference, the Joint Committee on Health Care will hold a public hearing on H.1282, legislation to regulate RN-to-patient ratios in Massachusetts hospitals. More than 500 nurses, along with representatives from more than 50 health care and consumer advocacy groups, will converge on the State House in Boston to show their support for the measure, which nurses and other advocates believe is urgently needed to safeguard hospital patients and address the growing nursing shortage in the state.

The legislation, which was filed by Rep. Christine Canavan (D-Brockton) and the Massachusetts Nurses Association, is co-sponsored by 102 out of 200 members of the Legislature. It would set minimum RN-to-patient ratios for all units and departments in Massachusetts hospitals as a condition of licensure by the Department of Public Health.

WHEN: MNA Press Conference on Mass. RN Survey, June 18, 2003 from 9:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Joint Committee on Health Care Public Hearing, June 18, 2003 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

WHERE: Press Conference, Room 437, State House

Joint Committee on Health Care Hearing, Room A-2, State House

MNA Media Center for the Day, Room B-1, State House

WHO: Testimony will be delivered by nurses, allied health providers, consumer and health care advocates, citizens, and legislators.

CONTACT: David Schildmeier, 781-249-0430, for more information, fact sheets on the bill, or to schedule interviews with nurses in your coverage area prior to or on the day of the hearing.