Here’s a reason to celebrate the New Year – safer staffing in California hospitals, once again. As of January 1, California’s historic staffing law for registered nurse staffing ratios, achieved through years of advocacy by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, completes its phase-in period. Over the five year course of their phase-in, these ratios have revolutionized hospital care and improved patient safety by mandating hospitals maintain minimum, specific nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for all hospital units at all times.Ratios differ by hospital area, such as a minimum of no less than 1 RN for every 5 patients in general medical or post-surgical care units, 1:4 in pediatrics, and 1:4 in emergency rooms. The ratios are a floor, not a ceiling, with hospitals also required to increase registered nurse staffing as needed based on individual patient illness or acuity.As of January 1, new ratios are in effect for three units. They improve to 1:3 in Step Down (transitional units between intensive care and general medical-surgical floors, reduced from 1:4), 1:4 in Telemetry (where patients are on monitors, improved from 1:5) and 1:4 in Other Specialty Care units such as cancer care (upgraded from 1:5).California’s ratios are a spectacular success story. Under our ratio law, lives are being saved, our ability to be effective advocates for our patients is stronger, and more RNs are entering the work force and staying at the bedside longer mitigating the nursing shortage. Read more