WHEREAS, multiple studies establish the harm that can come to patients when healthcare facilities fail to put enough nurses on duty; and

WHEREAS, there is no law that requires healthcare facilities to have a minimum number of nurses working at any given time; and

WHEREAS, legislation would guarantee safe nurse-to-patient ratios on every unit, in every hospital and on every shift; and

WHEREAS, the OPEIU Nurses Council (ONC) believes that patients, not profits, should come first.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the ONC calls upon Congress and state legislatures to pass safe patient care legislation that would ensure proper nurse staffing that is fundamental to keeping patients safe from infections and other health hazards.

Adopted:  June 2015

Las Vegas, Nevada