FL S0332

Establishes mandatory minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios across hospital and clinical units, ranging from 1:1 (trauma emergency, operating rooms, active labor) to 1:5 (rehabilitation and skilled nursing units), with ratios varying by unit type and patient acuity

Prohibits health care facilities from averaging nurse-to-patient ratios across shifts, imposing mandatory overtime to meet staffing requirements, laying off support staff to comply, or using video cameras or electronic monitoring as a substitute for direct registered nurse observation and assessment

Provides whistle-blower protections for direct care registered nurses who refuse unsafe work assignments, creating a private cause of action in state court with remedies including reinstatement, lost wages, attorney fees, and other damages

Authorizes the Agency for Health Care Administration to impose civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation, with a mandatory minimum penalty of $25,000 per violation for facilities found to have a pattern of violations, and requires the agency to publish names of penalized facilities on its website

Applies to acute care hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, hospital-based off-campus emergency departments, ambulatory surgical centers, and psychiatric facilities, with an exemption during declared states of emergency (excluding labor disputes), and takes effect January 1, 2026