Working together, there is a lot to be done to expand and support the nursing workforce in Connecticut. Patients need a strong healthcare workforce, and hospitals and health systems are working with their employees and partners at the state, in education, and across healthcare to educate, train, and retain more nurses and other healthcare professionals in Connecticut. This includes a focus on safety, for both patients and the healthcare workforce who care for them.
A focus on government mandated nurse staffing ratios will stall the work we need to get done. In fact, staffing ratios would exacerbate the problem, causing delays in care and raising costs with corporate nurse staffing agencies as the likely beneficiaries.
Instead, let’s focus on solutions that support patients and the healthcare workforce, set aside policies like staffing ratios that would harm patient care, and work together on advancing legislative action to support recruitment, retention, and safety. This is the right approach to support the healthcare workforce, protect patient access to care, and ensure a robust healthcare delivery system in our state.