WHAT IS THE HARM IN IMPOSING MANDATORY HOSPITAL NURSE STAFFING REGULATIONS

Efforts to establish mandated staffing ratios are shortsighted, and, t hough proponents may have the best intentions, many negative outcomes would flow from the public airing of this Issue. The institute of Medi cine concluded in 1996 that there was insufficient quality outcome evi dence to support the imposition of mandated nurse staffing ratios. The Massachusetts Nursing Association got legislation introduced in early 1996 which, if passed, would turn over to state lawmakers decisions g overning nurse staffing in hospitals and other employment settings. Th ere are high opportunity costs. Staffing regulations (if imposed) woul d force employers to ignore the dynamic interactions of economic, tech nology, capital, and labor supply variables, and thus needlessly impos e the effect of increased labor costs on hospitals, taxpayers and nurs es themselves. Chance for passage of this highly controversial legisla tion is unlikely, but the expenditure of political chips (and the loss of credibility) will increase the difficulty of obtaining a hearing f rom legislators the next time a nursing issue comes up.