News & Events

Advocate for safe RN staffing on Nov. 3

From the Massachusetts Nurse Newsletter
October 2009 Edition

The Patient Safety Act, H.3912/S.890, will have a public hearing before the Joint Committee on Public Health on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 10 a.m. at the State House. The Patient Safety Act is sponsored by Rep. Christine Canavan (D-Brockton) and Sen. Marc Pacheco, (D-Taunton).

The Patient Safety Act will set a safe limit on the number of hospital patients a nurse can be forced to care for at one time. The bill is critical to patient safety, and will end the common hospital industry practice of understaffing nurses in the commonwealth’s acute care hospitals.

The MNA is planning a variety of activities leading up to and on the day of the hearing to bring attention to this important issue and to lobby for the Patient Safety Act. Many of these activities will be held near your own community. Others will be held at the State House. If you would like to participate, please call the organizer assigned to your region.

Region 1 (Western Mass.)
Leo Maley: lmaley@mnarn.org or 781.520.1483

Region 2 (Central Mass.)
Sandy Ellis: sellis@mnarn.org or 508.756.5800, x103

Region 3 (Southeastern Mass.)
Barbara “Cookie” Cooke: bcooke@mnarn.org or 508.345.9219

Region 4 (North Shore and Merrimack Valley)
Riley Ohlson: rohlson@mnarn.org or 781.830.5740

Region 5 (Greater Boston)
Maryanne McHugh: mmchugh@mnarn.org or 781.830.5713.

 

Dont know what region you are in? Find out here.