Theresa Brown : This is Nurses Week , but hospitals do n't do much to honor nurses . Brown : Studies show that as hospitals cut nursing staff , more patients die . Hospitals are also cutting back on the number of beds they have available for new patients and increasing their use of emergency rooms. Hospital patients are sicker than they were 20 years ago because advances in technology and improvements in overall care have meant that more very ill patients survive and end up in hospitals . Best gift for nurses would be enough staff -- or at least a paid lunch , she says .
Theresa Brown : This is Nurses Week , but hospitals do n't do much to honor nurses . Brown : Studies show that as hospitals cut nursing staff , more patients die . Hospitals are also cutting back on the number of beds they have available for new patients and increasing their use of emergency rooms. Best gift for nurses would be enough staff -- or at least a paid lunch , she says .