A measure to limit the number of patients per nurse in Puerto Rico is being discussed in the Senate, with hospitals warning they are on the verge of collapse. Currently, nurses attend to around 15 patients per nurse. The president of the Association of Hospitals, Jaime Plá, and the president of the College of Nursing Professionals, Maricel Delgado, expressed concerns about the implementation and financing of the measure, which could cost $100 million.
They also highlighted the challenge of caring for patients abandoned by their families, which adds to the workload of hospital staff. Dr. José Sepúlveda, a medical internist, noted that the problem of overworked medical staff has existed for many years and that delayed payments from medical plans are a significant obstacle to hiring additional staff.