Bronx, NY- Today Council Member Fernando Cabrera called the recently released State Department of Health study on nurse staffing “fixed,” and called for hiring more nurses.
“Just two weeks ago, fully eight months late, the DOH released a nurse staffing report based on flawed methodology, with no consideration of the lessons learned from COVID-19. The study wildly overstates the economic impact of meeting minimum, safe nurse staffing levels. If there was ever a time to hire more nurses it’s now, during a pandemic. This study was ‘fixed’ to misrepresent the facts,” said Cabrera. “What were they trying to hide by releasing this study late on a Friday night?”
Standing in solidarity with the 42,000 member New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), Cabrera, sponsor of City Council Resolution 0396-2018, Safe Staffing for Nurses, called on the State Department of Health to be responsive to the needs of nurses and low-income communities of color. “As a Council Member representing one of the communities hit hardest by COVID-19, I’m standing with NYSNA to tell the New York State Department of Health to listen to nurses- the frontline professionals- and incorporate their knowledge and expertise into policy decisions. This issue cannot be about big hospitals and nursing homes. We need to protect the nurses who are protecting us,” said Cabrera. Nurses helped get New York out of the ‘epicenter’ and it’s nurses who can help us prevent a dangerous second wave of COVID-19 which would cost more lives and livelihoods. What we cannot afford is cutting corners on safe staffing. Loss of human lives is the real cost. The state has not moved forward and it’s now a matter of life and death.”
Council Member Cabrera is available for interviews.
Council Member Fernando Cabrera has proudly served the 14th District since 2010
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