Battle Brews in Minn. Over Hospital Nurse Staffing

A union for Minnesota nurses wants a state law requiring hospitals to abide by staffing minimums.

The Minnesota Nurses Association outlined a proposal Wednesday that seeks to enact the standards by 2014.

The nurses union has long been making a case for mandatory staffing ratios based on the number of patients and type of unit. California is the only state with a similar law.

Their proposal would establish a system of record keeping for hospitals and potential punishments for those that fall short of the standards.

Hospitals have been building a resistance effort. The Minnesota Hospital Association argues that medical staffing decisions are best dealt with by professionals not lawmakers.

The bill could also expose a divide between nurses who are unionized and those who are not.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
 

Tweet