I applaud states like Texas and Oregon for mandating that each hospital develop and implement a nurse staffing plan ("Solutions to RN Staffing,"The Politics of Caring, November 2005). It is crucial that nurses take a role in determining the appropriate nurse-to-patient ratio on each unit, which will promote a better workplace for nurses and better care for patients.

New York State should examine this issue closely. As a nursing student, I've seen nurses with as many as 12 patients at a time, making it virtually impossible for them to provide the safe care that patients need. As the nursing shortage continues, I urge the nursing leadership in New York State to make nurse staffing a crucial issue for our legislature.

Catherine S. Finlayson

New York, NY