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    Letter To A Legislator

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    api-736021995

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    Letter To A Legislator

    Uploaded by

    api-736021995
    53 views1 page

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    letter to a legislator

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    53 views1 page

    Letter To A Legislator

    Uploaded by

    api-736021995

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 1

    Mary Parker Davidson, BSN, RN

    5705 Lewis Street


    Dallas, TX, 75206

    October 25, 2022

    The Honorable Royce West


    P.O. Box 12068
    Capitol Station
    Austin, TX 78711

    Dear Senator West:

    My name is Mary Parker Davidson, and I am a Registered Nurse residing in Dallas, TX. I am
    writing you concerning the lack of policy regarding nurse staffing requirements and mandated
    nurse-patient ratios in hospitals in the state of Texas. I support the creation of policy regarding
    nurse staffing requirements and safe nurse-patient ratios because implementing such policy is
    shown to improve patient outcomes significantly, result in cost-savings for hospitals, and
    increase nurse retention rates by decreasing nurse burnout. With the nursing shortage on the rise,
    prevention of nurse burnout and retention of experienced nurses is more important than ever.
    Lack of policy mandating nurse-patient ratios highly affects nurse burnout rates, with unsafe,
    higher nurse-patient ratios proven to be a major contributor in increased burnout and job
    dissatisfaction in nurses. Before the COVID 19 pandemic, one third of nurses reported feeling
    burnout, and there was an annual turnover rate of about 17%. After the pandemic, more than half
    of nurses are reporting feeling burnout, and the annual turnover rate has risen to 30%. The
    United States is already experiencing a nursing shortage, and the shortage is only expected to
    worsen with a projected nursing gap of 20% by the year 2025, which equates to a shortage of
    roughly 450,000 nurses.

    I am seeing firsthand the dangerous effects that unsafe nurse-patient ratios are having on nurse
    burnout and nurse retention. I currently am employed on the Cardiothoracic and Transplant ICU
    at Baylor University Medical Center in downtown Dallas. Our unit cares for extremely critical
    patients, which makes it incredibly important that we as nurses can give each patient the high-
    quality care and constant supervision necessary for their safety. Due to continuing staffing
    shortages and the lack of mandated nurse-patient ratios, multiple critical patients are often given
    to one nurse not only on my unit, but also on many other units as well. By giving one nurse
    multiple critical patients, units can create unsafe environments for both patients and nurses, and
    highly contribute to nurse burnout.

    I ask that you please consider standing with nurses and helping us advocate for staffing
    requirements and safe nurse-patient ratios. With your help, we could aid in the fight against
    nurse burnout in Texas and be able to provide the safe and high-quality care our patients deserve.
    Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and I appreciate your help on this problem.

    Sincerely,
    Mary Parker Davidson, BSN, RN

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