Healthcare Staffing Report: Oct. 9, 2014

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Massachusetts ICU nurse staffing law takes effect

A Massachusetts law that mandates a maximum of one patient per nurse in intensive care units took effect Sept. 29, the Massachusetts Nurses Association announced.

The new law applies to all types of intensive care units in all the state’s hospitals, including medical intensive care units, surgical intensive care units, coronary care units, neonatal intensive care units and pediatric intensive care units, according to the association.

“This measure will protect the most critically ill patients and it breaks the decade-long logjam on Beacon Hill over the issue of establishing an enforceable maximum limit on the number of patients a nurse can care for at one time,” said Donna Kelly-Williams, president of the Massachusetts Nurses Association/National Nurses United. “More importantly, it moves us closer to our ultimate goal, which is to extend safe patient limits beyond the ICUs to all other units of our hospitals to protect all patients.”

The association launched a radio and television ad campaign to raise awareness of the law.