Proposed Federal Legislation re:Staffing/OT

[nurse2it]

I must be out of the loop because I just came across this article that may be of interest to direct care nurses, what are the chances it will pass?

http://www.travelnursing.com/news-and-features/news-detail/federal-staffing-bill-pending-in-congress/30936

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

that article is from 2007. legislation was reintroduced into current congressional session:

ana supported legislation: rn safe staffing act (s. 58/h.r. 876)

the ana-endorsed rn safe staffing act (s. 58/h.r. 876) has been re-introduced in congress for the 2011-12 session by sen. daniel inouye (d-hi) and reps. lois capps (d-ca) and steven latourette (r-oh).

many factors, including acuity of patients, level of experience of nursing staff, layout of the unit, level of ancillary support--are key to establishing the "right" nurse-patient ratio for any one unit. this safe staffing bill accounts for those factors and more.

ana originally worked with sen. inouye and rep. capps during the 108th session of congress (2003-2004) to develop and introduce the registered nurse safe staffing act--legislation that would hold hospitals accountable for the development and implementation of valid, reliable nurse staffing plans based on each unit's unique characteristics and need

full text of rn safe staffing act of 2011 [pdf]

safe rn-to-patient staffing ratios | national nurses united

legislative purpose

to address the nationwide shortage of hospital direct-care registered nurses; provide minimum safe patient protection standards-such as safe staffing ratios-for short-term and long-term acute-care hospitals in the united states; protect direct care registered nurse as patient advocate, create registered nurse education grants, and living stipends to recruit and retain direct-care registered nurses.

to create a hospital nursing service environment that will immediately attract new rns and provide the foundation for ultimate restoration of the hospital direct rn workforce; and

to establish clearly defined, legally protected and enforceable duties and rights to direct-care registered nurses as advocates exclusively for the interests of patients.

whistleblower protections that encourage patients, rns and other healthcare workers to notify government and private accreditation entities of suspected unsafe patient conditions that will greatly enhance the health, welfare, and safety of patients.

the essential principles of staffing in the acute-care hospital settings must be based on patient's individual acuity and needs; severity of conditions; services needed; and complexity surrounding those services.

read the full text of the bill

medscape article: nurse staffing for safety: safe staffing legislation free registration required.

mandated nurse staffing ratios- is this a nursing panacea