Hear from Nurse Leaders about Harmful Staffing Legislation

Hospital nurse staffing is a collaborative process, and a mandated, fixed ratio does not allow for the essential flexibility or innovation within care teams at the local level. We’re focused on providing the best care possible to our patients, and one-size-fits-all staffing ratios do not address the unique needs of every hospital in Michigan.

Michigan Senate Bills 334 – 336 and House Bills 4550 – 4552 propose harmful registered nurse (RN) staffing requirements that would damage healthcare and communities by restricting important access to healthcare services for Michigan patients.

Solutions that would help address the staffing shortage and also strengthen the pipeline of new nurses in Michigan include:

• Michigan joining the national Nurse Licensure Compact to reduce barriers for out-of-state nurses to move to and practice in Michigan immediately.
• Increasing eligibility for Michigan Reconnect by lowering the age requirement to 18 and older.
• Expanding Michigan Reconnect availability to include 4-year institutions.
• Increasing penalties for violence committed against healthcare workers.

MONL members are leaders in Michigan's hospitals, and have decades of firsthand experience at the bedside.