exempt

                                                 (Reprinted with amendments adopted on April 18, 2003)

 

Assembly Bill No. 313–Assemblywomen Giunchigliani
and Koivisto

 

March 13, 2003

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

 

SUMMARY—Directs Legislative Committee on Health Care to conduct study of staffing ratios in hospitals and similar health care facilities. (BDR S‑729)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: Yes.

                           Effect on the State: Yes.

 

~

 

EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to health care; directing the Legislative Committee on Health Care to conduct a study of staffing ratios in hospitals and similar health care facilities; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

    Whereas, Adequate levels of staffing at hospitals and other health care facilities ensure the delivery of health care services in a manner that promotes proper care of patients and optimum outcomes; and

    Whereas, Financial pressures can result in the reduction of staffing ratios, jeopardizing the delivery of high quality health care and adversely affecting the health of patients; and

    Whereas, Establishing appropriate staffing ratios and related controls and protections can ensure that financial pressures do not adversely affect the quality of health care provided to patients in hospitals and other health care facilities; now, therefore,

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1  Section 1. 1.  The Legislative Committee on Health Care

1-2  shall conduct a study of staffing ratios in hospitals and similar health

1-3  care facilities. The study must include:

1-4  (a) Establishing parameters for:

2-1       (1) Staffing plans in hospitals; and

2-2       (2) Minimum staffing ratios for nurses;

2-3  (b) Required recordkeeping by hospitals concerning statistics

2-4  related to patients and staffing, including a requirement that

2-5  hospitals begin collecting data before establishing staffing ratios for

2-6  nurses;

2-7  (c) Establishing limitations upon the number of hours that

2-8  nurses may work;

2-9  (d) Specifying conditions under which nurses may refuse work

2-10  assignments;

2-11      (e) Specifying actions that hospitals are prohibited from taking

2-12  with respect to their employees;

2-13      (f) The public disclosure of information concerning staffing

2-14  plans; and

2-15      (g) Administrative and criminal penalties for hospitals that do

2-16  not adhere to the requirements for staffing.

2-17      2.  The Legislative Committee on Health Care shall complete

2-18  the study on or before June 1, 2004, and submit a report of its

2-19  findings and any recommendations for legislation on or before

2-20  July 1, 2004, to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for

2-21  transmittal to the Legislative Commission and the 73rd Session of

2-22  the Nevada Legislature.

 

2-23  H