For extensive reporting on this story, see the California Nurses Association web site.

January 9, 2004 - The announcement today by Santa Teresita Hospital in Duarte (LA County) that it will cease operations tomorrow as an acute care hospital is "a tragic consequence of California's unrealistic and unachievable nurse-to-patient ratio regulations". Press release from the California Healthcare Association via Yahoo (no longer available).

The California Nurses Association opened a campaign this week to identify hospitals that fail to comply with a new state law that requires strict nurse-to-patient ratios. Story from the Sacramento Bee (no longer available).

January 3, 2004 - The California Healthcare Association filed a lawsuit against the state Department of Health Services, alleging that hospitals won't be able to comply with the state's new nurse-staffing law. Story from the Oakland Tribune (no longer available).

Thie first day of mandated nurse-patient ratios is covered by this article from the Los Angeles Daily News (no longer available).

December 30, 2003 - California hospitals are gearing up for new, mandated staffing requirements beginning January 1. Story from the Oakland Tribune. (link is no longer available)

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has said he will not seek immediate delays in California's RN staffing ratio law. Information page from the California Nurses Association.

July 2, 2003 - California hospitals will be required to meet new nurse-to-patient staffing ratios starting at the end of this year, including strict requirements for burn and post-surgery patients, under regulations unveiled Tuesday by state health regulators. Article from the Los Angeles Daily News (link no longer available).

RN Alert (pdf) from the California Nurses Association.

March 20, 2001 - There are profound disagreements about the minimum nurse-to-patient ratios required by California law. (link is no longer available)

As an example, the California Nurses Association has proposed a ratio of one nurse to every three patients in medical-surgical units. On the other side, the California Healthcare Association, which represents the state's hospitals, has proposed a one nurse to every ten patients ratio.

March 14, 2001 - The California Nurses Association (CNA) yesterday announced its proposal for minimum nurse-to-patient ratios.

CNA's proposed minimum ratios are:

Intensive Care - 1 nurse to 2 patients (current law).
Medical/Surgical Units, Telemetry, or other Specialty care - 1:3.
Emergency Room - 1:3.
Burn - 1:2.
Step Down/Intermediate Care, Definite Observation - 1:3.
Active Labor and Delivery - 1:1.
Obstetrics - 1:3.
Post-Partum/Normal Newborn Nursery - 1:5.
Pediatrics - 1:3.
Psychiatric - 1:4.
Subacute and Transitional Inpatient care - 1:4.

May 18, 2000 - The California Department of Health has begun hearings to assist the state in setting nurse-to-patient ratios as dictated by AB394, which was signed into law last year. Here is an information page about the legislation from the California Nurses Association web site.

Octorber 12, 1999 - California has become the first state to require all its licensed hospitals to meet fixed nurse-to-patient ratios. (link is no longer available) Democratic Governor Gray Davis signed the legislation this last weekend, which is now planned to go into effect in January 2002.

Here is the text of the bill from the California state legislature web site.

The California Nurses Association sponsored the bill. In a press release (link is no longer available), the president of the California Nurses Association, Kay McVey, described the event as "one of the most significant days in the history of nursing."

The California Healthcare Association, which represents 460 of California's 470 hospitals, opposed the bill. A similar bill that was passed in a previous legislative session was vetoed by then Republican Governor Pete Wilson.