The next time you walk into your travel nurse placement and cringe at the nurse-to-patient ratios, think of one word for your next assignment: California. The Golden State’s safe hospital staffing law has recently seen its latest phase-in period thanks to relentless advocacy by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC). The new ratios, phased-in to several units officially meet state mandates for minimum care.

Throughout the five-year phase-in of the new ratios, hospital care has improved and patient safety has increased. And thanks to these landmark ratio achievements, nurses around the country are demanding similar laws be implemented. Ratios are different based on each hospital area. For example, the California law mandates 1RN for every 5 patients in general medical or post-surgical units, 1:4 in pediatrics and 1:4 in emergency rooms. Because these ratios are a base and not a ceiling, hospitals are required to increase RN staffing when needed, based on patient illness and acuity.

The latest January 1, 2008 implemented ratios are as follows:

1:3 in Step-Down or transitional units (Between IC and MedSurg floors)

1:4 in Telemetry

1:4 in Other Specialty Care units (Such as cancer care)

Since being passed into law, over 80,000 licensed RNs and travel nurses have come into California’s workforce.

CNA/NNOC has sponsored other similar proposed laws in Arizona, Illinois, Maine, Ohio, and Texas and is working with the Massachusetts Nurses Association on a similar ratio law.

Even after bitter legal opposition by California hospitals and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the law remains in effect.

The vast majority of RNs with ratio law experience praise its positive effects and encourage nurses in other states to support any similar laws with the same benefits. Nurses and hospitals are now seeing lower turnover rates, better patient care, and better quality of life.