Report Title:

Nurses

Description:

Requires health care facilities to have a staffing plan for nursing services.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

913

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO NURSE STAFFING.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the nurse-staffing problem is putting peoples lives in danger and requires immediate attention. The climate is one that is extremely conducive to making a change in public policy. It is unacceptable when people are dying as a result of a lack of care that is easily preventable through appropriate staffing. When hospitals fail to protect the public, the legislature believes that it falls on the legislature to take action.

The purpose of this Act is to require health care facilities to establish committees to develop and implement staffing plans.

SECTION 2. Chapter 323D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§323D-    Nurse staffing; committee. (a) Each health care facility that is issued a certificate of need under this chapter and provides direct patient care shall develop and implement a written hospital-wide staffing plan for nursing services. A committee in each facility shall be established consisting of six nurses in direct care and six nurses from administrative or clinical services for facilities with more than one hundred beds. For facilities with less than one hundred beds, there shall be three nurses in direct care and three nurses from administrative or clinical services. The committee shall develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate the staffing plan and make modifications as necessary.

(b) The staffing plans shall be based on the American Nurses Association's principles for nursing staffing, and shall take into consideration the following:

(1) The nursing care required by the aggregate and individual needs of patients;

(2) The specialized qualifications and skill mix and competency of the staff; and

(3) The scope of practice for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and authorized duties of nursing assistants.

(c) The written staffing plans for nursing services shall establish minimum numbers of nursing staff based on outcomes research. The number of nursing staff on duty shall be determined by an acuity system acceptable to the American Nurses Association."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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