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AFSCME Council 31 Pushes Nurse Staffing Ratio Legislation

AFSCME Council 31 is in the forefront of a drive to enact legislation that would require minimum registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in Illinois hospitals. It is the latest move by the council to fight for legislation that improves working conditions for the state's nursing workforce. If passed, Illinois would become only the second state to have nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. California's ratio law went into effect in 2004.

In February, by a commanding margin, the bill passed out of the Illinois House Health Care Availability and Access Committee. The measure had previously stalled in committee because of strong opposition from the Illinois Hospital Association.

Before a hearing room packed with nurses, the committee heard testimony from Kelly Beringer, RN, a representative of HEART/AFSCME, an employee organizing committee at Resurrection Health Care. "Illinois is ready for this reform," said Beringer. "By addressing the frustration and burnout that so many nurses feel, this groundbreaking legislation goes a long way towards not only improving the quality of care in Illinois hospitals, but solving the nursing shortage as well."

Illinois House Bill 2548 would require that hospitals implement a staffing plan that stipulates that during each shift within a unit of the hospital, a direct care registered nurse may not be assigned more than:

  • one patient in operating rooms or trauma emergency units;
  • two patients in critical care, labor and delivery, or post anesthesia units;
  • three patients in ante partum units, emergency room units, pediatric units, step-down units or telemetry units;
  • four patients in intermediate care nursery units, specialty care units, medical or surgical units or acute care psychiatric units;
  • five patients in rehabilitation units; and
  • six patients in postpartum units (three couplets) and well-baby nursery units.

The bill also includes whistleblower and anti-retaliation language. Council 31 continues to be an aggressive advocate for nurses and patient safety, successfully backing measures to improve working conditions and nurses' ability to provide quality care. You may remember that in the previous issue of UNA Action (Winter 2005) we reported that Council 31 advocated for two other nurse bills — one that prohibits mandatory overtime for RNs and LPNs, and the other that creates a violence-prevention pilot project at several state mental health treatment facilities.

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