A much-anticipated state study on the number of nurses required to provide safe, effective patient care in Minnesota hospitals fell short of its goals after hospitals failed to provide the data to answer key staffing questions. The lack of hospital participation drew fire Monday from the state's nurses union, which hoped the study would fortify its negotiating position on the need for lower patient-to-nurse staffing ratios. "Are they just unwilling to cooperate with a study they themselves agreed to with our lawmakers?" said Linda Hamilton, president of the Minnesota Nurses Association. A spokeswoman for the Minnesota Hospital Association said its members cooperated with the study, but simply lacked the detailed data that researchers sought.
