Tuesday, April 6, 2010

No Mandatory Overtime

Last week, the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (WFNHP) launched a new web site, http://www.nomandatoryovertime.org/, focusing on the issue of mandatory overtime for nurses and healthcare workers.

This site provides facts about mandatory overtime and allows users to take action by contacting their legislators and urging them to pass a bill which would ban mandatory overtime in Wisconsin.

Legislation to ban mandatory overtime for nurses and healthcare workers has been introduced by Senator Judy Robson (SB 108) and Representative Sandra Pasch (AB 152).

“This web site will give nurses, patients and the public the tools to put an end to the unsafe practice of mandatory overtime,” said Candice Owley, RN, president of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals.

Nurses are routinely forced to work beyond the end of their shift, sometimes up to 16 hours in a row. Forcing tired nurses, often on short notice, to work beyond their shift is unsafe for patients. Tired caregivers are more likely to make medical mistakes such as medication errors.

“Nurses are calling on state legislators to show the courage to pass the bill to end forced overtime. Patients are at risk when exhausted nurses make life and death decisions,” said Owley.

Fifteen states have already passed legislation to protect patients by limiting forced overtime.

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