As a nurse, I have spent decades making critical decisions when people are at their most vulnerable. Those decisions are grounded in evidence, careful assessment, and accountability. Michigan’s healthcare policies should meet that same standard. Mandatory overtime and unsafe patient ratios place patients at risk, exhaust nurses, and drive up healthcare costs for everyone. When fatigue becomes part of the staffing model, errors increase, care is delayed, and preventable complications occur, all of which add cost to an already strained system.

Relying on mandatory overtime is also one of the most expensive ways to staff a hospital. Overtime pay, last‑minute staffing, and constant turnover cost far more than maintaining adequate baseline staffing. Hospitals that overextend their workforce face higher rates of burnout, injury, and nurse attrition, leading to repeated recruitment and training expenses. These costs are ultimately passed on to patients, families, employers, and taxpayers through higher bills and insurance premiums.

Establishing reasonable nurse‑to‑patient ratios and limiting mandatory overtime is a fiscally responsible approach. When nurses are rested and staffing is predictable, patient outcomes improve, lengths of stay are shorter, and costly medical errors and readmissions decrease. Money currently spent reacting to staffing crises or lobbying against reform could instead be invested in building a stable workforce that delivers consistent, high‑quality care.

As a legislator, I will advocate for healthcare policies that protect patients, respect nurses, and use healthcare dollars wisely. Listening to nurses, patients, and rural communities across the 78th District will guide these decisions, just as listening to patients guides good nursing care. Evidence‑based staffing is not just safer, it is smarter and more sustainable.