Campaign for Patient Safety and Safe Staffing

HPAE 2022 Survey of Current & Recent Bedside Nurses at New Jersey Hospitals

After facing a global pandemic, HPAE partnered with an independent polling company, Change Research, to conduct a multi-phase research program to better understand the experiences, challenges, and needs of hospital nurses in these unprecedented times.  The results of the survey shine a light on the current staffing crisis. The solution is clear, and now is time for all healthcare workers and patients to call on lawmakers to move forward legislation to improve staffing and working conditions at hospitals across New Jersey.

CRISIS BREWING: Overworked and poorly compensated nurses are leaving the profession, saying hospital safety is on the decline

Read Phase One – The Qualitative Focus Group

Read Phase Two – Final Survey Results

Proposed New Jersey safe Staffing Bill

The proposed New Jersey law establishes a base-line safe limit on the number of patients one nurse can care with adjustments for a patient’s illness (called acuity) and his or her need for nursing care. The sicker the patient, the higher the acuity. New Jersey’s bill, sponsored by Sen. Joe Vitale (S.304) and Assemblywoman (A4536), reflects both the science and experience of bedside nurses who day in and day out take care of the sickest among us. We believe every patient, in every hospital, deserves the same high level of care their illness demands, just as nurses should know that when they come to work, they will be able to deliver quality care to all patients.

This long drawn-out fight over safe staffing levels has chased many nurses away from our profession. The argument against safe staffing pushed by hospital CEOs diminishes the voices and values of nurses. The problem is under staffing, and the solution is safe staffing. It’s time for the legislature to move forward with legislation setting safe staffing levels that give nurses the tools they need to keep their patients safe.