A study commissioned by the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives has found a shortage of nurses in Pennsylvania hospitals.
The study, performed by the Joint State Government Commission, found

…a clear relationship between nurse staffing and patient outcomes.  Although there is not an overall shortage of nurses in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania hospitals vary significantly from one to the next in terms of nurse staffing, which contributes to disparities in quality of care across the state.  This variation is much greater than can be justified by differences in patient need and is not in the public interest.

Based on these findings, the Joint State Government Commission offered the following recommendations:

• Pennsylvania should improve nurse workforce data collection and analysis.
• Pennsylvania should consider implementing a public reporting system for hospital staffing levels.
• Hospitals should consider consistency of nurse staffing “off-shifts” (nights, weekends, holidays).
• Pennsylvania hospitals should make  improvements to the nurse work environment.
• Pennsylvania should increase the percent of nurses with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in nursing.
• Pennsylvania should extend the whistleblower protection law to include nurses.

Go here for the Joint State Government Commission report Professional Bedside Nursing in Pennsylvania:  A Staff Study.