ANA Applauds Introduction of Mandatory Overtime Legislation
May 16th, 2001

Companion measures would ensure safer patient care, greater protections for nurses

Washington, DC --The American Nurses Association today hailed the Safe Nursing and Patient Care Act of 2001, a bill introduced by Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) and Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-OH) with more than 20 U.S. House of Representatives colleagues that would strictly limit the use of mandatory overtime for nurses. Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and John Kerry (D-MA) will introduce companion legislation in the Senate.

The bill is expected to address the current nurse staffing crisis in the U.S. by strictly limiting the use of forced overtime among nurses, a dangerous practice that has contributed to a recent exodus of nurses from the nation's hospitals and a decline in safe, quality patient care. ANA was at the forefront of the push for this legislation and worked collaboratively on its development with members of Congress and other organizations representing nurses.

"We know that excessive use of mandatory overtime by health care facilities has been on the rise," said ANA President Mary Foley, MS, RN. "In fact, 67 percent of respondents to a recent ANA health and safety survey reported working some form of mandatory or unplanned overtime every month. With this proposed legislation, we can offer protection by prohibiting health care facilities from forcing exhausted nurses to work extra shifts, an unsafe practice that puts both patients and nurses at risk."