For several years, nurses’ unions have lobbied, with varying success, for legislation implementing nurse-patient ratios. The nurses’ unions contend that lower patient-to-nurse ratios improve quality patient care and decrease the mortality rate. While Medicare regulations require hospitals to maintain “an adequate number of licensed registered nurses, licensed practical nurses (LPN), and other personnel to provide nursing care to all patients as needed,” the ambiguous language regarding what is considered “adequate” has essentially left it to the states to regulate staffing.
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