All inpatient units at Goshen (Ind.) Hospital now operate with a 1-to-4 nurse-to-patient ratio.
The move is meant to ensure all bedside nurses have manageable workloads and can provide safe, effective care for patients, the hospital said in a Nov. 18 news release.
“Establishing a 1-to-4 ratio affirms our belief that exceptional care begins with strong support for our nurses who work directly with patients,” Julie Crossley, MSN, RN, the hospital’s chief nursing officer, said in the release. “This change allows our nurses the time and focus they need to care for patients while at the same time ensuring a sustainable and healthy work environment for our nursing teams.”
Goshen is just one of 52 hospitals that have earned Magnet with Distinction — the highest recognition the American Nurses Credentialing Center issues for nursing excellence. Hospitals with this designation reflect the highest-performing Magnet organizations and consistently demonstrate strong quality outcomes, low nurse turnover and high job satisfaction.
Nurse-to-patient ratios have long been a flashpoint in U.S. healthcare, with nursing groups advocating for staffing minimums to improve care quality and working conditions. Opponents, including many hospitals, argue that mandated ratios are too rigid for evolving care-delivery models and could lead to service cuts.
In June, federal lawmakers reintroduced legislation that would establish minimum nurse-to-patient staffing standards at hospitals nationwide — echoing California’s landmark law enacted in 1999, which remains the only state with mandated nurse-to-patient ratios for acute care hospitals.
