I am writing in response to the article 'More than 6,000 strike for ratios' (Lamp, December 2010). I am working as a Registered Nurse on a medical surgical floor. I have eight to nine patients and the workload is very stressful. Having a safe patient-nurse ratio is a critical issue for patients, nurses, and hospitals. I am very proud of those nurses who gathered together at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre and fought for their patients by being real advocates. A lot of nurses would not support striking because it would harm the patients in the sense that nurses would be absent from work, but in the long run, it would save a lot of lives.
Many studies show that the safe nurse-patient ratio plays a crucial role in better outcomes and decreasing patients' death during a hospital stay. We hear multiple excuses why we don't have safe nurse-patient ratios and one of them is 'budget cuts'. In today's economy, because of the budget cuts, hospitals do not hire enough nurses. However, according to the recent Health Affairs study, hiring more nurses could actually save a hospital money in the long run.
The study found 6,700 patient deaths and four million days of hospital care could be avoided each year by increasing numbers of Registered Nurses (Health Affairs, Volume 25, Issue 1,204-211, 2006). Going on a strike was a major step and took a lot of courage for nurses to walk off the job and fight for safer patient care. If we sit there and take it, nothing is going to change. We as nurses must come together and make a more powerful stand.
Mayya Bababyeva, RN
Author: Mayya Bababyeva
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