Press Release: 5/8/2026

Mass Nurses Warn of Declining Patient Care Quality, Unsafe Staffing, and an Epidemic of Violence in 2026 State of Nursing in Massachusetts Survey

 

Massachusetts Nurses Association 

May 07, 2026, 10:13 ET

 

Majority of nurses say care conditions have worsened as understaffing continues to drive risks for patients and the nursing workforce

CANTON, Mass., May 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A newly released 2026 State of Nursing in Massachusetts survey from the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) reveals a healthcare system under continued strain, with registered nurses across the Commonwealth reporting worsening patient care conditions, unsafe staffing levels, and growing barriers to delivering the care patients need.

RNs Continue to Report Inadequate Time with Patients

Major Challenges Facing Bedside Nurses

Immense Support for Workplace Violence Legislation

 

The annual survey, released for National Nurses Week (May 6–12), reflects persistent and in some cases worsening trends identified in prior years, signaling an ongoing crisis for both patients and the nursing profession. The full results can be seen at http://www.massnurses.org/2026survey.

 

"On behalf of patients and healthcare workers across Massachusetts, nurses are sounding the alarm about our deteriorating healthcare system," said Katie Murphy, a practicing ICU nurse and President of the MNA. "Nurses are experiencing rampant understaffing, resource constraints, and growing patient complexity, straining our ability to provide safe, high-quality care. These systemic problems demand urgent solutions."

A new study published in the journal Medical Caresupports the State of Nursing in Massachusetts survey results, showing that nurse dissatisfaction has worsened across multiple measures since the COVID-19 pandemic. The study, co-authored by renowned nurse researcher Linda Aiken, concluded: "Job dissatisfaction and intentions to leave employment continue to rise even after the pandemic has receded, and more nurses lack confidence in their management to act in the best interest of patients. New policy approaches seem warranted, including setting minimum safe hospital nurse staffing requirements."

Quality of Care Declining Amid Staffing Crisis

Nurses overwhelmingly report in the State of Nursing in Massachusetts that patient care conditions have deteriorated:

• 71% of nurses say the quality of care has gotten worse in the last two years. This is up 33 points from pre-COVID levels.
  
   


• 69% say they do not have enough time to provide necessary patient care. This jumps to 74% for nurses in direct care teaching hospital positions.
  
   


• 72% are concerned that unsafe staffing could jeopardize their nursing license.

Understaffing remains the central driver of these challenges, with 60% of nurses identifying it as the biggest obstacle to delivering quality care, consistent with multi-year trends.

Unsafe Staffing Driving Patient Risks

The survey highlights the direct impact of these conditions on patient care:

• 81% of nurses report patients lacking adequate comfort and assistance due to understaffing.
  
   


• 74% report insufficient time for patient education and discharge planning.
  
   


• 52% are aware of medical errors tied to excessive patient loads.
  
   


• 35% say they would not feel safe admitting a family member to their unit.

"These findings reflect a healthcare system where nurses are being stretched too thin to safely meet patient needs," said MNA President Murphy. "When nurses don't have the time or support to provide appropriate care, patients suffer."

Workplace Violence Remains a Serious Concern

While staffing and care quality dominate nurses' concerns, workplace violence continues to pose a significant threat.

• 69% of nurses experienced at least one incident of workplace violence in the past two years, rising to 79% among newer nurses.
  
   


• 74% of community hospital nurses say workplace violence is a serious problem.

These findings build on years of survey data showing that workplace violence escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains persistently high. In response, hundreds of nurses and healthcare professionals rallied at the State House on May 5th for a "Safety First" Day of Action.

Support for Solutions and Legislative Action

Nurses across Massachusetts are calling for concrete solutions to address these systemic challenges:

• 93% support legislation to establish safe patient limits for nurses.

The MNA is advocating for An Act Promoting Patient Safety and Equitable Access to Care, (S.1522/H.2448), a bill requiring the Department of Public Health to set limits on the number of patients a nurse can care for at one time based on hospital unit and public stakeholder input.

• 95% support workplace violence prevention legislation.

A workplace violence prevention bill (H.4767/S.1718), supported by the MNA, 1199SEIU, and the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association, passed the Massachusetts House unanimously. It is pending in the Senate.

About the Survey

The 2026 State of Nursing in Massachusetts survey was conducted by Beacon Research and includes responses from 484 registered nurses across the Commonwealth between March 11 and March 24, 2026. Respondents were randomly selected from the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing. 53% of respondents were not MNA members.