1. TELL THE WORLD PROJECT Nurse to patient ratios and how it negatively impacts patient care LISA STAGNER

2. MY MOTIVATION!  My family and use of our community hospital  Our community hospital focus: Quantity is better than Quality  Medical misadventures related to poor staffing  Consequences of ignoring patient acuity  Increased staff turnover and poor morale

3. MY PLAN:  Contact Senator Emmett Hanger  Create a proposal to be placed on the docket at the General Assembly  Get the facts!  Attend legislative meetings to get an idea on how the state views nursing and participated in discussions for change  Research changes made by Senator Barbara Boxer in California to influence proposals for change in Virginia.

4. WHO AM I TRYING TO PROTECT? Your mom, dad, brother, sister, child, husband, wife, or loved one, who is suddenly experiencing stroke symptoms, inability to breathe, a sudden heart attack, a choking episode, or merely has to go to the bathroom. Without someone else in the room who can ask for help, what happens? A medical misadventure. This happened to me…I lost my grandfather and nearly my son to a medical misadventure. WHY? There wasn’t enough staff!

5. REALLY? The embarrassment that would be generated in the medical community with a failure to practice the minimal requirements of care and benevolence required to save lives! What a price to pay to save a few bucks? Of course, the penalties cannot fall directly upon the hospitals themselves because nursing is a self-governed body that is extensively known for patient advocacy, the pursuit and reclamation of safe health care, and are not afraid to step upon their proverbial soap box to be heard. However, we are also the first to take the fall for many medical misadventures

6. SENATOR OF CALIFORNIA BARBARA BOXER “ We cannot guarantee high-quality health care to every American without a high-quality workforce of nurses to provide it,” Senator Boxer said. “That is why I am proud to introduce legislation to help address our nationwide shortage of nurses. By investing in our nurses, we can help improve the quality of care in our nation’s hospitals and save the lives of countless patients.” (Boxer,2009) The legislation builds on the success of California’s historic law that set registered nurse-to-patient ratios. (Boxer, 2009)

7. REFERENCE Barbara Boxer Press release May 13, 2009 http://www.boxer.senate.gov/en/press/releases/051309b.cfm