AZ SB1412

Requires each Arizona hospital to establish a nurse staffing committee composed of at least 55% registered nurses providing direct patient care, along with nurse managers and other hospital personnel.

Committee must develop and annually evaluate a hospital-wide staffing plan for nursing services that establishes upwardly adjustable minimum ratios of registered nurses to patients for each unit and shift based on patient acuity and care intensity.

Staffing plan must consider patient admissions/discharges/transfers, nurse education and experience, support staff availability, specialty nursing organization recommendations, and unit-level quality and outcome data.

Requires hospitals to post daily in visible locations the current number of licensed and unlicensed nursing staff providing direct patient care in each unit, specifically identifying the number of registered nurses.

Mandates all Arizona hospitals implement their nurse staffing plans by July 1, 2016, with provisions allowing exemptions during emergency situations requiring exceptional medical services.