HB 905 - Florida Hospital Patient Protection Act

• Creates minimum staffing level requirements for direct care registered nurses in health care facilities with specific nurse-to-patient ratios varying by unit type (e.g., 1:1 in trauma/operating rooms, 1:2 in critical care, 1:5 in rehabilitation units)

• Prohibits mandatory overtime and requires health care facilities to develop written staffing plans based on patient acuity classification systems, subject to annual evaluation and Agency for Health Care Administration oversight

• Establishes professional practice standards for direct care registered nurses including patient assessment, care planning, and documentation requirements; prohibits use of acuity-adjustable units and video monitoring as substitutes for direct nurse observation

• Grants direct care registered nurses the right to refuse unsafe assignments and provides whistleblower protections against discharge, discrimination, or retaliation; establishes a toll-free hotline for reporting violations

• Authorizes civil penalties up to $25,000 per violation for facilities and $20,000 for individuals; requires the Agency to post violating facilities' names on its website; effective July 1, 2014