Nurses are fighting emergency regulations enacted in November that maintain the current one nurse to six patients ratio on hospital medical surgical units. The emergency regulations delay reducing nurses’ patient loads until 2008. California Hospital Association spokeswoman Jan Emerson says the action has given hospitals some breathing room. Cut: Jan (:08) “and really taking the pressure off finding another 45-hundred other nurses when we already have the worst nursing shortage in the country.” The California Nurses Association rallied members to speak at the hearing on the dangers of the status quo… Association President Deborah Burger says she doubts the hearing will result in nurses’ favor. Cut: Deb1 (:09) “We feel our best bet is with the court system and with putting pressure on the Governor through the public, with our patients.” The Nurses Association says a court date is set for next month. SOC