Members of the association representing more than 211,000 registered nurses in Pennsylvania made the case for major legislative changes in a Capitol Rotunda event on April 15, 2013. The Pennsylvania State Nurses Association (PSNA) made a push on Safe Staffing – legislation considered highly critical to the protection of nurses and their patients.
“Safe staffing legislation ensures that nurses and administrators collaborate to determine the appropriate nurse staffing levels on a given hospital unit without mandating specific ratios,” said Betsy M. Snook, MEd, BSN, RN. “Challenges of a growing nursing shortage have resulted in fewer nurses who are working longer hours and caring for sicker patients. This legislation is simple commonsense.”
In addition, PSNA awarded “Standing With Nurses” white lab coats to Representative Jim Cox (R-129) and Representative Pamela DeLissio (D-194) for actively supporting nurses during their tenure in the legislature.