COUNCIL VICE CHAIR WALA BLEGAY INTRODUCES LEGISLATION ADDRESSING NURSE-PATIENT RATIOS IN PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY
Prince George’s County Council Vice Chair Wala Blegay, Esq., concerned about the impact of nurse-patient ratios on the level of care provided to patients in urgent care facilities and hospitals in the County, introduced Council Resolution-013-2023, encouraging the state of Maryland to ensure an optimum level of care for patients by creating a standard for nurse-patient ratios.
The Prince George’s County Council, in its role as the County’s Board of Health, has substantial interest and investment in assuring that acute care general hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care facilities and psychiatric hospitals retain sufficient staff to promote the best and safest health outcomes.
Council Vice Chair Blegay noted that bringing access to quality healthcare to County residents and communities is a People’s Agenda priority for the People’s Council.
“In our County, emergency rooms are crowded, wait times are too long, and there are concerns about the impact of inadequate staffing of nurses and other health professionals, on the patient’s overall experience and care. I am committed to ensuring significantly improving working conditions for nurses and patient health outcomes in Prince George’s County.”
The state of Maryland maintains authority to increase nurse-patient ratios. Under the proposed measure introduced Tuesday, the Board of Health would collect empirical data on nurse-patient ratios in the County, submit its findings to the County, and share the results with Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Senate President Bill Ferguson, House Speaker Adrienne Jones, Prince George’s County Senate Delegation Chair Michael A. Jackson, and Prince George’s County House Delegation Chair Nick Charles, with a formal request urging state action using Prince George’s County as the example by the data collected.
CB-013-2023 has been referred to the Council’s Health, Human Services and Public Safety (HHSPS) committee for legislative review. CLICK HERE for committee meeting schedules and agendas.
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