Bronx, NY – As part of a citywide day of action organized by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), Assemblyman Dinowitz joined demonstrating nurses outside of Montefiore Hospital to call attention to what NYSNA describes as inadequate staffing to ensure quality patient care. Dinowitz made two stops, one in the morning and another around midday, and addressed the gathered crowd to show solidarity with the cause.

Stories have begun to emerge of patients sitting in hallways, waiting for a nurse to become available to help treat their condition. Studies have increasingly shown that patient mortality rates increase with higher staffing ratios, with a study from the American Medical Association determining that the odds of patient death increased by 7% for each additional patient a nurse must care for at one time. Legislation co-sponsored by Assemblyman Dinowitz (A2954) would establish enumerated ratios, based on peer-reviewed academic research and evidence-based recommendations, to ensure safe-staffing ratios in healthcare facilities.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D - Northwest Bronx) said: “It is simply unacceptable for patients to sit in the hallway of a hospital awaiting treatment. Montefiore Health System is a strong community partners and historically have held itself to a high standard of patient care, but this is honestly about more than just one hospital. This bill is about drawing a line in the sand and saying that our health is more valuable than saving a few bucks on labor costs. I am grateful to NYSNA President Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez for leading the fight for safe-staffing as well as my community colleagues Randi Martos, Eric Dinowitz, and Yudelka Tapia for standing with us.”