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corner of the video to see and select from the play list.
2026, Aug. 19. Nurse Retention and
Promotion of the Workplace Environment. Dr. Jeannie Cimiotti, professor at Emory University’s Nell Hodgson
Woodruff School of Nursing and longtime Health Watch USA member, presented
research on how nurse workload, staffing, and work environment affects
nursing burnout, job satisfaction and most importantly, patient outcomes.
Drawing on more than 20 years of studies, she emphasized that nursing care
strongly influences mortality, failure to rescue, infection rates, and
readmissions. Her work shows that assigning fewer patients to each nurse is
associated with lower 30-day mortality and fewer preventable deaths,
especially in hospitals with supportive work environments. Studies comparing
California’s mandated staffing ratios with New Jersey and Pennsylvania
suggested that similar ratios could have prevented substantial numbers of
deaths and improved nurse satisfaction and care quality. Dr. Cimiotti also
discussed sepsis research showing that additional registered nurse hours per
patient day reduce mortality, while heavier workloads increase deaths and
readmissions. She highlighted pediatric findings linking higher nurse
workloads to increased readmissions, and evidence that nurse practitioners
improve outcomes in acute care. Overall, she argued that adequate nurse
staffing, better work environments, and reduced burnout are essential to
patient safety and healthcare quality. Health Watch USA Meeting. Aug.
19, 2026. View Video
https://youtu.be/Cmk0VpBcPF4
6 Key Points: 1. Nursing workload directly affects patient outcomes. Research
cited in the presentation connects nurse staffing levels with mortality,
failure to rescue, infections, readmissions, ICU admissions, and length of
stay.
2. Lower patient-to-nurse ratios are associated with fewer deaths. Studies
comparing California’s staffing mandate with New Jersey and Pennsylvania
found that mandated ratios could have prevented substantial numbers of
deaths and improved care quality.
3. Sepsis outcomes improve with more registered nurse time. Additional
registered nurse hours per patient day were associated with lower sepsis
mortality, while heavier nurse workloads increased mortality and
readmissions.
4. Burnout is a patient safety issue, not only a workforce issue. High nurse
burnout was linked to higher rates of catheter-associated urinary tract
infections and surgical site infections, with significant preventable costs.
5. Supportive work environments strengthen the impact of staffing. Better
staffing was most effective when paired with strong work environments,
leadership support, and adequate resources for bedside nurses.
6. Investing in nurses can reduce costs and improve retention. Evidence
presented showed that improved staffing, higher registered nurse skill mix,
nurse practitioner presence, and retention strategies can lower adverse
outcomes, shorten stays, reduce turnover, and save money.
View Video:
https://youtu.be/Cmk0VpBcPF4
2026, July 28 - AI is replacing nurses
in NY. I fear the same fate for KY. | opinion "Nurse staffing levels are strongly tied to patient outcomes. Their
replacement at any level of care needs to be performed with the utmost
caution and certainly not with inadequately-tested technology...Artificial
intelligence is marketed as being more efficient, but it also appears to be
creating work for itself to do. And if no one is employed, who will buy the
products or pay taxes? All of this necessitates the need for government
oversight - and soon - because the dire AI predictions are starting to
become realities."
References Courier Journal.
2025, Aug. 29. - A view from the
Frontlines: The current state of infection control in U.S. healthcare
facilities
Lisa Baum, a lead representative for the New York State Nurses Association,
highlighted persistent issues in infection control within healthcare
facilities, emphasizing the spread of nosocomial infections including
airborne infectious diseases. Despite improvements, infection rates and
associated deaths remain high, exacerbated by underreporting and
insufficient data—particularly for airborne diseases.
Critical contributing factors include understaffing, rapid room turnovers,
inadequate cleaning, inadequate ventilation and lack of training on
effective use of disinfectants, such as proper dwell time for pathogen
elimination. Environmental services staff shortages and overcrowding in
emergency departments further increase transmission risks, with patients
sometimes placed in hallways or separated only by curtains. Ventilation is a
recurring concern. While negative pressure rooms and advanced local exhaust
systems exist; they are not widely implemented. There is inadequate
regulation and the regulations that do exist are not adequately enforced.
Personal protective equipment (PPE), though essential, is not the most
effective control in the hierarchy, often hampered by supply chain
challenges and improper fit. The pandemic revealed deeper systemic flaws,
with crisis measures sometimes prioritizing operational needs over safety.
Lisa advocates for layered controls: improved identification and isolation
protocols robust testing, enhanced staffing, better ventilation, and a shift
to reusable PPE. She stresses the necessity of regulatory reforms to ensure
consistent and effective infection prevention and supports empowering
organizations like NIOSH to restore scientific leadership in occupational
health. Health Watch USAsm Aug. 29, 2025 Webinar. View
Video
https://youtu.be/1Aa5AhHU0JA
Download Slides
2023, Oct. 11, 2023 - Artificial
Intelligence in the Prevention of Healthcare Violence Kevin Kavanagh, MD, MS, discusses the increasing occurrence of
workplace violence and how artificial intelligence (AI) holds the future
promise of prevention and interdiction. The impact AI and robotics will have
on the workforce is also discussed along with the associated far reaching
safety concerns which will impact our society. This presentation also
contains several Deepfake Videos. Nov. 2, 2023. A previous version was
presented to the Massachusetts Nurses Association. View Video:
https://youtu.be/RX7PrB_iXT4
Download Slides
2022, Feb. 6 - Comment on U.S. Senate
HELP Committee's proposed legistation: Pandemic and Public Health
Preparedness and Response Bill (PREVENT Pandemics Act) to include provision
for protection of frontline workers during a pandemic.
View Comment
2019, May 17 - NQF Comment on Nursing
Sensitive Metric --- Pressure Injury.
View Comment
2018, Nov. 2 - Kentucky Nurses
Association Conference. Kevin Kavanagh, MD. MS. discusses
healthcare worker and patient safety issues which are created by the United
States Response to the drug resistant bacteria epidemic. Not setting firm
standards and research integrity problems have prevented an effective
response in may of our institutions. The Epidemic of Multi-Drug Resistance Organisms -- It is NOT the Nurses Fault!!
YouTube Video (12.36 mins):
https://youtu.be/k-_fXApc3lA
View Slides
Download Handout
2018, Oct. 4 - HW USA Conference:
Christine Pontus, MS, RN, reviews the literature and
discusses the importance of nursing to assure patient safety. The negative
impact of inadequate RN staffing on several key patient outcomes has been
documented in the peer reviewed literature. Nationally, unions and
associations representing RNs have been advocating for safe staffing
legislation at state and federal levels. YouTube Video:
https://youtu.be/nkDEe2L-8h4
2018, Jun. 27 - Support Letter:
Signed Support Letter from the Committee to Ensure Save Patient
Care. "Under this proposed ballot question, a safe maximum limit for
the number of patients a nurse can care for in all areas of the hospital
will be implemented to ensure that patients receive the level of
professional nursing care and attention they need when they enter a
Massachusetts hospital."
View Letter
2017, Nov. 3 - HW USA Conference:
Said Abusalem, RN, PhD - Culture of Safety and Importance of
Nursing in Long Term Care Facilities. YouTube Video:
https://youtu.be/8K9gRrpU61w
2007, Aug. 8 -
Peer Reviewed Publication:Letter to the editor In response to
"Assessing nursing staffing ratios: variability in workload
intensity". Policy Polit Nurs Pract. 2007 Aug;8(3):182.
PMID: 18178924
