Similar legislation was first introduced in the state in 2005. That proposal would have required all new nurses to attain a bachelor’s degree within 10 years of receiving a nursing license. The state legislature never voted on the proposed bill, but patient safety and nursing advocates are reviving those efforts.
Sign up for our FREE E-Weekly for more coverage like this sent to your inbox!
On a national level, most nurses have at least an associate’s degree, but less than half of registered nurses have bachelor’s degrees. The Institute of Medicine released a report last year, outlining a goal to have 80 percent of all nurses with bachelor’s degrees by 2020. The recent push for higher nursing education stems from a growing body of medical research that shows higher education among nurses can improve patient safety and outcomes.
As proponents for the proposed legislation gear up to lobby lawmakers, New York healthcare providers are implementing a pilot program designed to execute the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations in the previously mentioned report.
Related Articles on Patient Safety:
Medicare Publishes Patient Safety Ratings for Thousands of Hospitals
Oregon Hospital Nurses Adopt British Program for Improving Quality and Efficiency
N.H.’s Cheshire Medical Center Settles Lawsuit; Will Provide Interpreters For Deaf Patients
