Minnesota Hospital Association against staffing levels bill

Minnesota Hospital Association is against a house bill in the state legislature that implements nurse staffing ratios.

MINNESOTA (KVRR) — Keep Nurses at the Bedside Act would create committees made up of health care workers and management to set staffing levels on a unit-by-unit basis depending on a hospital.

It puts a maximum on the number of patients for a nurse.

The C-E-O of the M-H-A says there are already at least five thousand openings for nurses and the mandated ratio could have a drastic impact on hospital units.

“What happens if the ratio cannot be met? We don’t have enough nurses already and then we’re going to have this mandated, legislative ratio. The only impact that would have is that hospitals would be forced to close units and that is going to impact Minnesotans and our patients who should always come first,” says Rahul Koranne.

The bill would also include a $5 million loan forgiveness program for nursing students.

The M-H-A says they would like to see that loan expanded to other health care professionals.