Thousands Of Nurses Rally For Minimum Staffing Law

ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Nearly 2,000 nurses from around New York state have traveled to the state Capitol in Albany to urge lawmakers to pass a minimum staffing law that would mandate how many nurses are on duty at hospitals and nursing homes.

The bill has been discussed since the 1990s but recently picked up increased bipartisan support, giving nurses hope that it will pass before lawmakers adjourn in June.

Nurses say the bill would address significant understaffing that worsens patient outcomes. But hospital executives say they need flexibility in staffing levels and that the proposal would cost patients billions of dollars to implement.

The proposal sets out different staffing ratios for specific departments like operating rooms, emergency units and newborn nurseries.

California implemented a staffing rule more than a decade ago.

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