Should Mandatory Overtime be Banned?

We have all heard (or experienced) horror stories about nurses forced to work overtime: exhausted, stressed, and ready to quit. And who can blame them? Being forced to work overtime for fear of disciplinary action or worse wouldn’t make me want to go to work either. At the same time, it is scary to think that these exhausted nurses are being forced to provide care to patients. Patient care can be difficult enough for well-rested, unstressed nurses, there’s no need to create more obstacles that could compromise competent care!

To solve the problem, nursing organizations have been pushing for protective legislation and have found some legislators willing to lend an ear. Bans on mandatory overtime for nurses seem to be popping up nationwide. Here in New York, the state that Sassy Scrubs calls home, a law banning mandatory overtime went into effect just last summer. Politicians and nursing advocacy groups alike have touted the new law as a measure to both improve the quality of healthcare and keep nurses from leaving the profession.

It seems logical enough: Happy nurses are better nurses! What better way to ensure patient happiness and quality care than by assuring nurses are happy and rested? And it’s just commonsense that happy nurses would want to continue nursing if they like what they are doing.

Sassy Scrubs wants to know what you think about legislation that bans mandatory overtime. Are bans on mandatory overtime viable solutions? Has this kind of legislation made a difference in your workplace? Are there loopholes in the legislation that leave nurses just as exhausted as before? We would love to hear your thoughts!