Government mandated staffing ratios would exacerbate the problem, causing delays in care and raising costs

• The math doesn’t work. Mandated staffing quotas won’t fix the shortage of workers. As hospitals struggle to find nurses, it will force hospitals to turn to temporary, expensive contract labor.
• It will lead to longer wait times in emergency departments and delayed access to care, putting even more strain on patients and leading to high stress situations
• It will challenge a hospital’s ability to keep open beds and units that require specialty nursing
• It will take away nurses’ flexibility in decision making and undermine their judgment in emergency situations
• Health care costs will rise, with corporate nurse staffing agencies as the likely beneficiaries
• It will stall the work that needs to get done to support recruitment, retention, and safety

Nurses don’t need government telling them how to do their jobs

• Government mandated staffing ratios will take away nurses’ flexibility in decision making and second guess them on how to best manage and care for patients
• Hospitals and nurses currently work together to achieve safe staffing levels. Every hospital in Connecticut has a staffing committee – made up of nurses who provide direct patient care – that develops a hospital’s safe staffing plans
• Rigid government mandates would override the professional judgement of nurses and care providers

Efforts are underway to keep hospital workers resilient and enhance retention and recruitment. Connecticut hospitals are on the forefront of creating new ways to support healthcare workers by:

• Identifying opportunities for career advancement
• Providing financial incentives
• Supporting continuing education
• Partnering with colleges and technical schools to develop curriculum and training to support future healthcare needs
• Investing in safety improvements and training
• Identifying the clinical placements that will be needed to support enhanced training

Front-line workers need support to continue providing high quality care in situations that are safe for patients and workers alike

• A safer workplace is a critical priority for Connecticut hospitals and hospitals must continue to be safe places for every patient and healthcare worker
• Connecticut hospitals are actively bringing stakeholders together to inform statewide efforts to further address workplace violence with all voices at the table
• State funding for recruitment bonuses, student loan payment assistance, cash retention bonuses, tuition assistance, workplace violence prevention, and other forms of training can all support retention and recruitment

Connecticut must do more to further support and grow the workforce

• Hospitals are confronting significant financial headwinds, exacerbated by the need to hire temporary, contract labor
• The state can further support hospital efforts to bolster the workforce
• State funding for recruitment bonuses, student loan payment assistance, cash retention bonuses, tuition assistance, workplace violence prevention, and other forms of training can all support retention and recruitment

The state legislature can make a difference in supporting quality, accessible, and affordable health care

• Lawmakers can support workers by providing direct funding to hospitals and health systems for recruitment, retention, and training for healthcare workers and for relief from the increased cost of contract labor and crucial staffing premium pay
• Healthcare recruitment, retention, and training programming should include, but not be limited to, cash recruitment bonuses, student loan payment assistance, cash retention bonuses, tuition assistance, workplace violence prevention, and other forms of training programming
• Funds should be available to defray the increased costs of contract labor and crucial staffing premium pay

We can all advocate for important reforms

• Support state approval of interstate licensing compacts, e.g., nurse licensure, medical licensure, physical therapist licensure, APRN licensure, EMS licensure, etc.
• Address potential state licensing barriers associated with implementation of interstate licensing compacts
• Review laws, regulations and state initiatives that add staff burden and negatively influence retention
• Review and update existing state law to enhance protections for the healthcare workforce against violence in healthcare settings
• Examine laws and regulations that prescriptively require additional staff
• Examine how modifications to regulations regarding education and experience would increase the number of candidates for employment