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Advocates Urge PA Lawmakers to Pass Patient Safety Act

by Emily Scott, Keystone State News Connection

Jun 27, 2022

Since the beginning of the pandemic, several states have passed “safe staffing” laws aimed at balancing patient-nurse ratios in hospitals. In Pennsylvania, health care advocates are calling on lawmakers to vote on legislation still stalled in committee.

Senate Bill 240, also known as the Patient Safety Act, would establish limits to the number of patients one nurse is responsible for during a shift.

Maureen May, president of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, said it is about ensuring positive outcomes for patients.

“I want to be in a hospital bed in which I know that there are enough nurses to care for me and my family members,” May asserted. “I want to be a nurse that works in a hospital and walks away from the bedside at the end of the day and know that I did everything I could to make sure my patients received the best care possible.”

Many health care system administrators oppose safe-staffing legislation, saying it is costly to their bottom line. Senate Bill 240 and its companion House Bill 106, which has more than 100 co-sponsors, have been referred to each chamber’s health committees and await a vote.

Sen. Maria Collett, D-Montgomery County, said the pandemic exposed the cracks in the health care system and the need for legislation such as the Patient Safety Act. She stressed it has been disappointing to see the legislation stalled by a few lawmakers, given the bipartisan support for the bill.

“If you’re someone that’s not going to stand with nurses, that’s not going to stand with patients, then put your name on the record,” Collett urged. “Vote no on this bill because the people in our communities deserve to know where we stand when it comes to protecting patient outcomes and protecting the hardworking nursing staff.”

A 2017 study found patients were much more likely to survive when nurses followed a hospital-mandated patient-nurse ratio. Lower patient-to-nurse staffing ratios also have been associated with significantly lower rates of cardiac arrest, hospital-acquired pneumonia, respiratory failure and patient falls.


Desde el comienzo de la pandemia, varios estados han aprobado leyes de “personal seguro” destinadas a equilibrar la proporcion de pacientes y enfermeras en los hospitales. En Pensilvania, defensores de la atencion medica estan pidiendo a los legisladores que voten sobre la legislacion que permanece estancada en el comite.

El Proyecto de Ley 240 del Senado, tambien conocido como Ley de Seguridad del Paciente, estableceria limites del numero de pacientes que una enfermera es responsable durante un turno.

Maureen May de la Asociacion de Personal de Enfermeria y Profesionales Afines de Pensilvania dice que se trata de garantizar resultados positivos para los pacientes.

“Quiero estar en una cama de hospital en la que sepa que hay suficientes enfermeras para cuidar de mi y de mis familiares,” dice May. “Quiero ser una enfermera que trabaje en un hospital y se aleje de la cama al final del dia y sabiendo que hice todo lo posible para asegurarme de que mis pacientes recibieran la mejor atencion posible.”

Muchos administradores del sistema de salud se oponen a la legislacion sobre personal seguro, diciendo que es costosa para sus resultados. El Proyecto de Ley del Senado 240 y su acompanante el Proyecto de Ley de la Camara 106, que tiene mas de 100 copatrocinadores, han sido remitidos a los respectivos comites de salud y esperan una votacion.

La senadora estatal Maria Collett dice que la pandemia expuso grietas en el sistema de atencion medica y la necesidad de una legislacion como la Ley de Seguridad del Paciente. Ella dice que ha sido decepcionante ver la legislacion estancada por algunos legisladores, dado el apoyo bipartidista para el proyecto de ley.

“Si usted es alguien que no va a apoyar a las enfermeras, que no va a apoyar a los pacientes, entonces ponga su nombre en el registro,” pide Collete. “Vote no a este proyecto de ley porque las personas de nuestras comunidades merecen saber cual es nuestra posicion cuando se trata de proteger a los pacientes y proteger al personal de enfermeria que trabaja arduamente.”

Un estudio de 2017 encontro que los pacientes tenian muchas mas probabilidades de sobrevivir cuando las enfermeras tenian una relacion paciente-enfermera exigida por el hospital. La relacion paciente-enfermera tambien se ha asociado con tasas significativamente mas bajas de paro cardiaco, neumonia adquirida en el hospital, insuficiencia respiratoria y caidas de pacientes.

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