On November 6, Massachusetts residents will vote on the Patient Safety Act—a mandate to increase nurse-to-patient ratios in acute care facilities. This ballot initiative was submitted by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) and would expand the 2014 mandate that increased nurse-to-patient ratios in Massachusetts’ intensive care units (ICUs) to other hospital wards. Evaluating existing data on the impact of a similar nurse staffing law implemented in California in 2004 may help inform voters as they head to the polls.

Read the full article at Health Affairs

Author(s): Mahshid Abir, Jason Goldstick, Rosalie M. Malsberger, Claude Setodji