CINCINNATI — A recent study done by the Ohio Nurses Association shows found that nearly seven out of 10 bedside nurses have considered quitting because of the shortage itself. Approximately 60% of those who have already quit say they left for the same reason. 

But a new House bill is looking to help solve that issue.

What You Need To Know

  • Ohio Nurses Association found nearly seven out of 10 bedside nurses have considered quitting because of the shortage itself

  • HB 285 is a bipartisan bill looking to combat the nursing shortage

  • If passed, the legislation would help with staffing in hospitals and help nursing students turn their loans into grants after working in Ohio for 5 years

Last year, Spectrum News 1 introduced you to Amir Keys, who was 2 years old at the time. He was a twin boy who was born 18 weeks prematurely. His brother, Amar’e, passed shortly after birth, but Amir kept pushing. Because of the nursing shortage, his family wasn’t able to secure a stay-at-home nurse, and instead had to keep Amir at the hospital for two years.

So, his mom, Kadijah, tried to take things into her own hands by enrolling in an accelerated one-year nursing program. 

“It was a decision that was kind of just made out of nowhere because of the nursing shortage,” said Keys. “We couldn't find nurses for him to come home. It wasn't always guaranteed because even if we got him home and the nurses quit, he would have to go back to the hospital.”

Shortly after enrolling into school, Amir was able to come home, thanks to an in-home nurse. Keys said it was great having him home during the holidays. But then last month, the unexpected happen. 

“Amir had got really sick kind of toward the end of my nursing school journey,” she said. “Unfortunately, Amir passed away a week before I finished school.”

It’s been a rough time for the Keys family. But Keys continues to fight for her son. Earlier this month, she graduated from nursing school and will soon begin working in the medical field.

“There’s a bigger purpose, and there's a bigger plan... I promised Amir that I would continue to go forward,” she said. “And I will continue to make a change and I will care for others like I did for him.”

A newly proposed legislation is looking to help nurses like Keys. It’s called Hoiuse Bill 285. If passed, it would help with staffing in hospitals. 

“We want to make sure that our hospitals are staffed adequately with nurses who are experienced, who are skilled and who have the resources to do the job that they've signed up to do,” said State Rep. Elgin Rogers Jr., D-Toledo.

Rogers, who is sponsoring the bi-partisan bill, said in addition to enforcing minimum staffing standards for hospitals, it will also help aspiring nurses. That’s because it includes a five-year grant program that would turn school loans to grants after five years of service in Ohio. 

“We hope that by the loan to grant program that a portion of this bill, that it will be an attractive piece for nurses to enter the field,” said Rogers. “We know that people need help with education. And this is one of those pieces that will help with that.”

It’s a piece of legislation that Keys said she hopes becomes law.

“I think that would be beneficial, especially to a person like me who did have to take out tons of loans to go to school and many other people that I know that had to take out tons of loans,” she said. “That that would be honestly a great a great thing to have.”