...from RN Kathy Montanino:

You've probably heard about our "Stop Repeat Offender Hospitals" bill that we introduced in the California Senate earlier this year.

Will you join me and make a call *TODAY* to urge our elected leaders to support SB 1288?

This issue is personal for me. I watched a patient suffer from two serious (and unnecessary) secondary illnesses because we were too short-staffed to prevent them.

Yup, that's me at the podium in my 121RN scrubs, flanked by our bill's author, Senator Connie M. Leyva, and co-author Assemblyman Miguel Santiago.

Our important "Stop Repeat Offender Hospitals" bill will finally put some teeth into California's groundbreaking nurse-to-patient ratio regulations. Our laws may be groundbreaking, but you and I both know that hospitals ignore them! What good did Title 22 do for me or my patient?! Clearly, we need some enforcement. That's where our bill comes in: it will bring unannounced inspections solely focused on staffing and establish escalating (and hefty) fines on hospitals who continue to violate Title 22 ratios.

I went up to Sacramento last month. Our union testified in the Senate Health Committee, where I'm proud to report our bill sailed through 7-to-2. That morning before the hearing, we held a Press Conference (where I was the M.C.! I was so nervous, but I knew this was important!) You can watch our press conference here and some ABC News coverage from that day here.

The next hurdle for our bill is the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday. Some RNs from our Union are going up again to testify, so our calls today will get those legislators ready to vote yes!!

Will you make a call today to help our bill make it through the Senate Appropriations Committee?

In Unity, Kathy Montanino RN, Critical Care

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