Patriot Ledger
Oct 27, 2018 at 3:01 AM

Quincy, MA

To the editor:

As a caregiver with family who are newcomers, who are low-wage workers and who don’t speak English well, I need nurses who are fervently protecting and advocating for my family, and who have the time and capacity to do so. It’s dangerous for me, for my family, and for the nurses when we don’t have safe patient limits in hospitals.

My family, and all the other families on the floor and in the hospital, deserve quality care. A teacher, no matter how great the teacher, cannot give the same quality care and teaching to 31 kindergartners as to 15. There are limits to kids in childcare and kids in our public schools, yet right now, there are 16 newborns to one nurse in a hospital in greater Boston.

Hospital executives have already spent upwards of $19 million on deceptive ads trying to stop us from winning safe patient limits. They care about the bottom line, making $7.6 billion in profits in the last five years. They want to stop us with fear but we are dreaming of a world where patients matter more than profit. A yes vote gives the nurses and management in each department of every hospital to come up with a plan to meet patient safety.

LILY HUANG
Quincy
Co-executive director, Mass. Jobs with Justice