Florida nurses rallied at their state capitol this week to call for minimum staffing ratios and whistleblower protection. The Miami Herald was there to report on the rally. The nurses cite research showing that improving nurse-to-patient ratios saves lives and costs less than alternative safety procedures that would cost more. The bill would also provide employee protection for nurses who refuse unsafe assignments or file complaints against the hospital or clinic. These protections would drastically improve their right of free speech within the workplace. The march was sponsored by the National Nurses Organizing Committee which is organizing nurses in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.
Intern Quinn McCall contributed to this blog entry.
