Wages for registered nurses (RNs) increased faster in California than elsewhere after California began implementing landmark legislation mandating minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in acute care hospitals, according to a study published by Health Affairs.
The study suggests that implementing nurse staffing standards in California could cost more than some anticipated. The findings by Barbara Mark, a professor in the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina, and coauthors could also mean higher costs for other localities that implement nurse staffing regulations.
The study’s authors stress that the effect of nurse staffing regulations on wages might vary from place to place, depending on local variables such as the demographic makeup of the nurse workforce and the availability of alternative job opportunities for RNs.
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