Student Name
Capella University
NHS-FPX 6008 Economics and Decision Making in Health Care
Prof. Name
Date
Lobbying for Change
The Honourable Mr. Chris
Governor of Upper Manhattan Region
622 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032, United States
Dear Mr. Chris,
I am writing to advocate for improved registered nurse (RN) staffing ratios at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. As a healthcare professional, I have witnessed firsthand that inadequate nurse staffing negatively impacts patient safety, healthcare outcomes, and workforce well-being. The current staffing levels create unsafe conditions, increasing patient mortality rates, nurse burnout, and financial strain on the hospital due to higher readmission rates and prolonged hospital stays (NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, 2024).
Addressing inadequate RN staffing ratios will benefit healthcare organizations and communities by improving patient outcomes, reducing medical errors, and enhancing nurse retention. Better nurse staffing helps patients live longer, leave the hospital sooner, and makes nurses happier, which improves care quality. According to Lasater et al. (2021), hospitals with safe staffing levels also experience cost savings due to decreased readmissions and fewer adverse events. Failing to address this issue presents significant disadvantages and negative impacts on patient safety and healthcare efficiency.
NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 4 Lobbying for Change
Overworked nurses are more prone to burnout, medical errors, and job turnover, which strains healthcare resources and reduces the quality of care. In underserved communities, staffing shortages worsen health disparities, leading to delayed treatments and preventable complications (Poku et al., 2025). Without intervention, hospitals will continue facing financial losses due to increased malpractice claims and avoidable hospital-acquired conditions. Legislative action is essential to ensure safer staffing ratios and better health outcomes for our communities.
Studies show that the number of nurses affects patient health and safety. As of 2022, the United States employed approximately 3,072,670 registered nurses, equating to about 9.22 nurses per 1,000 people. In New York State, there were 190,470 registered nurses, resulting in approximately 9.68 nurses per 1,000 residents (Feeney, 2022). Twigg et al. (2021) found that when a nurse gets one more patient, the risk of patient death goes up by 7%. Lasater et al. (2021) revealed that better nurse staffing correlates with improved patient satisfaction and lower rates of hospital-acquired infections.
NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 4 Lobbying for Change
Furthermore, a study by McHugh et al. (2021) concluded that hospitals with higher RN staffing ratios experience reduced 30-day readmission rates, lowering healthcare costs. The American Nurses Association (ANA), (2022) supports these findings, advocating for safe staffing policies to improve patient care quality. Lastly, a recent study by Poku et al. (2025) emphasized that increasing nurse staffing reduces burnout and turnover, leading to a more sustainable workforce. Having enough nurses is key to keeping patients safe and making healthcare fair for everyone. Addressing inequities caused by structural racism requires policies that ensure fair nurse distribution, especially in underserved communities, to uphold social justice.
I have worked in patient safety and risk management. This helped me understand planning resources and manage risks for low RN staffing. Not enough nurses cause more falls, mistakes with medicine, and burnout (Twigg et al., 2021). I learned to budget for more staff and use technology better. Risk analysis helped me find safety and money problems early. This way, I could fix issues before they got worse. My experience helps me use facts to improve staffing and keep patients safe.
I urge you to support and advocate for legislation that mandates safe RN staffing ratios at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and across healthcare facilities. Investing in improved nurse staffing aligns with the goals of enhancing patient care, reducing healthcare costs, and ensuring a healthier workforce.
Thank you for your consideration. I would love to discuss this important topic further. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Angela
References
American Nurses Association (ANA). (2022). Nurse staffing advocacy. American Nurses Association. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nurse-staffing/nurse-staffing-advocacy/
Feeney, A. (2022). The U.S. nursing shortage: A state-by-state breakdown. NurseJournal.org. https://nursejournal.org/articles/the-us-nursing-shortage-state-by-state-breakdown
Lasater, K. B., Aiken, L. H., Sloane, D., French, R., Martin, B., Alexander, M., & McHugh, M. D. (2021). Patient outcomes and cost savings associated with hospital safe nurse staffing legislation: An observational study. BMJ Open, 11(12), e052899. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-052899
NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 4 Lobbying for Change
McHugh, M., Aiken, L., Sloane, D., Windsor, C., Douglas, C., & Yates, P. (2021). Effects of nurse-to-patient ratio legislation on nurse staffing and patient mortality, readmissions, and length of stay: A prospective study in a panel of hospitals. The Lancet, 397(10288), 1905–1913. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00768-6
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. (2024). Department of nursing – Overview. NewYork-Presbyterian. https://www.nyp.org/morganstanley/for-health-professionals/nursing-and-patient-care-services/department-of-nursing-overview
Poku, C. A., Bayuo, J., Agyare, V. A., Sarkodie, N. K., & Bam, V. (2025). Work engagement, resilience and turnover intentions among nurses: A mediation analysis. BMC Health Services Research, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12242-6
NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 4 Lobbying for Change
Twigg, D. E., Whitehead, L., Doleman, G., & Zaemey, S. E. (2021). The impact of nurse staffing methodologies on nurse and patient outcomes: A systematic review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 77(12). https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14909