Stop Mandatory Overtime and Improve Working Conditions for Our Nurses
Stand up for improving working conditions for nurses and improving the quality of healthcare by sending a letter to your members of Congress urging them to co-sponsor legislation that ends mandatory overtime and establishes reasonable nurse-patient ratios.
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Dear [ Decision Maker ],
I am writing today because I am deeply concerned about the common practice of forcing our nation's nurses to perform mandatory overtime and to work in healthcare facilities that are inadequately staffed. I believe that the shortage of nurses in this country will continue or worsen, and the quality of healthcare will decline, unless working conditions for nurses improve.
A survey conducted by AFT Healthcare, the healthcare division of the American Federation of Teachers, found that 20 percent of practicing nurses are seriously considering leaving the profession in the next five years. The reasons cited were excessive patient loads, mandatory overtime and other unacceptable working conditions. However, nurses did report that they would stay- and those who have left the profession would return - if staffing levels were improved, mandatory overtime banned and salaries raised.
The routine use of mandatory overtime to compensate for inadequate staffing contributes significantly to nurses' frustration and lowers the quality of healthcare. Identical legislation, (S.1842) introduced by Edward Kennedy (D- Mass.) in the Senate and H.R. 2122, introduced by Reps. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) and Steven LaTourette (R- Ohio) in the House, prohibits hospitals from requiring nurses to work overtime, except in cases of a government-declared state of emergency. The bill also allows nurses to voluntarily work a reasonable number of overtime hours if the nurses believe they are able to adequately and professionally perform their duties.
In addition, I urge you to support H.R. 2123, introduced by Rep. Janice Schakowsky(D-Ill.) which would establish minimum nurse/patient staffing ratios based on the acuity of the patients' needs. More than 30 major studies have demonstrated the harmful effects of inadequate staffing including unnecessary deaths of patients.
I urge you to co-sponsor these important bills, which will help increase the quality of patient care and improve working conditions for our nation's nurses.
(Edit Letter Below)
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]
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