Massachusetts residents, what do you think is important for voters to consider regarding Question 1 and nurse to patient ratios?
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Having worked in EMS/Fire for the last 24 years, talking to friends in the hospitals, the problem is that the bill is poorly written. It is a one size fits all, without any wiggle room to adjust for patient flow. This is a great bill for med/surg and floor nursing but not for specialty/critical care or the emergency room,where the patient census can vary daily by 25 to 100 per day or per shift. Speaking with doctors and nurses, they say that the bill, is to constrictive and heavy on the penalties. The admin of the hospitals would have to hire an unbelievable amount of nurses to cover the confines of the bill. Which it is known they don't want to. In conclusion I am voting no on 1, because it is a bad bill, written properly it could be a great law for patients and staff.
Thank you for clarification on that - a lot of bills are poorly written.
Thank you Michael for sharing your input. My son just became and EMT and Just got his scores for the fire fighters exam. He feels the same way as you do, poorly written bill. We are both voting NO as well.