Television news reports suggest that nurses rallied at the county courthouse to protest a memo that had been sent out regarding patient ratios. The memo sent from upper management at UPMC stated quite simply that nurses would have to take care of 8 patients at once while staffing shortages are dealt with. Nurses have taken the memo as a direct threat from management. The nursing staff feels this directive will harm patients in the long run because of nurses having to take care of so many patients at one time. Nurses are urging state lawmakers to pass a bill known as the patient safety act, which would set aside any nurse to patient ratio and make working conditions safer.
