Position

The Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act, S. 73/H.R. 4138, would hold hospitals accountable for the development of valid, reliable unit-by-unit nurse staffing plans.  These plans would be developed in coordination with direct care registered nurses (RNs) and based on each unit’s unique characteristics and needs.  The bill also provides for public reporting of staffing information, and includes whistle-blower protections for RNs and others who may file a complaint regarding staffing.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that Registered Nurse (RN) staffing levels have a significant effect on preventable hospital deaths among surgical levels. According to researchers, the odds of patient mortality rose 7 percent for every additional patient added to the average nurses' workload.

Background

·    S. 73/H.R. 4138 would require the establishment of a staffing system that ensures a number of registered nurses on each shift and in each unit of the hospital to ensure appropriate staffing levels for patient care.

·    The bills require public reporting of staffing information. Hospitals must post daily for each shift the number of licensed and unlicensed staff providing direct patient care, specifically noting the number of RNs.

·    The staffing system takes into account the following: account for architecture and geography of the environment and available technology; reflect the level of preparedness and experience of those providing care; reflect staffing levels recommended by specialty nursing organizations; account for ancillary staff support; provide that an RN not be assigned in a particular unit without first having established the ability to provide professional care in such a unit; be based on methods that assure validity and reliability.