Mandatory Overtime
Mandatory overtime has become common in our hospitals.
Fortunately, nurses and hospital employees nationwide are working together to build support for bipartisan federal legislation, known as the Safe Nursing and Patient Care Act of 2003, that would prevent medical errors and improve patient care by limiting mandatory overtime in the nation's hospitals.
Tell Congress to pass this bill, which was recently introduced in the House and Senate, and support quality time, not overtime.
Find out about state legislation to limit mandatory overtime that has been enacted or is under consideration.
Nurses Week Efforts
During National Nurses Week 2002, hundreds of nurses from around the country converged on the U.S. Capitol where they set off alarm clocks in unison to let Congress know that patients need "quality time, not overtime."
That same day, they urged legislators to co-sponsor the federal ban on mandatory overtime (the Safe Nursing and Patient Care Act) and successfully convinced 10 more Congress members to sign on--bringing the total number of cosponsors to 86 in the House and 10 in the Senate.
During National Nurses Week 2003, nurses nationwide lobbied for safe staffing legislation. They also urged seven additional Congress members to co-sponsor the federal mandatory overtime ban.
Hospital Systems Issues
Pennsylvania RNs Score Victory for Patient Care
Last year, 550 RNs in Beaver, PA struck a victory for patient care by ratifying one of the best nurse contracts in the country. More »
