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GA HB1609
Bill
Status
Introduced
3/29/2022
Primary Sponsor
Clay Pirkle
Click for details
AI Summary
- Hospital governing bodies must adopt and implement a written nurse services staffing plan ensuring adequate numbers and skill mix of nurses for each patient care unit and shift, based on evidence-based safe nursing standards, with contingency plans for unexpected surges in patient care needs
- Each hospital must establish a standing nurse staffing committee that meets at least quarterly, with at least 50% of members being registered nurses who provide direct patient care at least 50% of their work time and are selected by their peers
- Hospitals must annually report to the Department of Community Health on adoption of their staffing plan, establishment of the committee, committee evaluations, and nurse-sensitive outcome measures; staffing plan levels and current staffing must be made available to nurses at the beginning of each shift
- The Department of Community Health must maintain a secure online portal for anonymous reports of unsafe staffing conditions, with the Division of Healthcare Facility Regulation required to investigate all such reports and take appropriate enforcement action
- A 9-member advisory commission—appointed by the Governor, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House (3 each)—shall convene annually to evaluate the effectiveness of nurse staffing committees and submit a public report with recommendations for further legislative action to the General Assembly leadership
Legislative Description
Health; requirements for nurse staffing in hospitals; provide
Last Action
House Second Readers
4/1/2022
Committee Referrals
Health and Human Services3/30/2022
Full Bill Text
No bill text available