To the Editor:

Former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill leaves out a significant factor in his formula for reducing hospital-acquired infections and medical costs: making sure there are enough nurses taking care of patients.

For example, central venous catheter-associated bloodstream infections cost millions each year. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that this infection is more likely to occur when there are fewer nurses in the intensive-care unit, regardless of other infection control measures.

Infections are prevented by careful, constant monitoring and assessment of patients by the nurses in attendance. This cannot happen when nurses are assigned too many patients. Infection control is not just making rules — it’s about having the right number of professional nurses to carry them out.

Deborah Elliott,Deputy Executive Officer
New York State Nurses Association
Latham, N.Y., July 6, 2009

Medical care is by its nature labor-intensive. Nurses and other skilled staff act as force multipliers for physicians - and often make the difference between the mediocre medical care and excellent medical care. With respect to hospital-acquired infections, excellence and cost control are not in conflict.

Increase the ratio of nurses to patients - medical outcomes will improve - and what's more, we'll lose fewer nurses to burnout.

Letters | Cutting Hospital Infections to Cut Costs.

Disclosure: my wife is an R.N. and member of the New York State Nurses Association.