Kim Lawrence | Support HB1179

Dear Chair and Members of the Committee, My name is Kim Lawrence, and I am writing in support of HB 1179, an act relative to minimum nursing home staffing standards. HB 1179 addresses one of the most urgent and unavoidable issues impacting nursing home residents across New Hampshire: unsafe staffing levels. When nursing homes are understaffed, residents do not receive the timely care they need and deserve. This is not merely an inconvenience — it can lead to serious outcomes including falls, preventable injuries, medication errors, missed hygiene care, dehydration, pressure ulcers, and delayed responses to medical emergencies. This bill establishes clear minimum staffing standards, including the important requirement that nursing homes have a registered nurse (RN) available 24 hours per day. Skilled nursing coverage should not disappear overnight. Residents do not stop needing care at 9 p.m., and families should not have to worry that their loved ones are living without adequate medical oversight simply because it is outside normal business hours. HB 1179 also provides measurable staffing minimums in hours per resident per day for RNs, LPNs, and overall nursing care. These clear standards create accountability. Without defined minimums, staffing becomes a budget decision rather than a care decision — and residents pay the price. I understand concerns about workforce shortages. However, staffing shortages should not be used as justification for operating facilities in conditions that are unsafe for residents or impossible for staff. In fact, establishing staffing standards can help improve retention by reducing burnout, injury risk, and moral distress among caregivers who are routinely asked to do more than is humanly possible. New Hampshire has a responsibility to ensure that nursing home residents — some of our most vulnerable community members — receive dignified, safe, and humane care. HB 1179 is a necessary step toward that goal. For these reasons, I respectfully urge the Committee to vote Ought to Pass on HB 1179. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Kim Lawrence Resident of New Hampshire