Posted: | July 1, 2013 10:57 AM |
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From: | Representative Mauree Gingrich |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Nurse Safe Staffing Legislation |
In the near future, I will be introducing Safe Staffing legislation (Former HB 1880) which does not contain state legislated ratios. Proper nurse staffing is crucial to the safety and quality of nursing care delivered in our healthcare facilities. Studies show that appropriate staffing levels contribute to better patient outcomes, improved satisfaction among nurses and a decrease in healthcare costs. I invite you to co-sponsor legislation amending the Healthcare Facilities Act that calls upon general or specialty hospitals to establish and develop nurse staffing standards within their facilities. This legislation addresses this issue by establishing professional nurse staffing committees through collaborative efforts of the bedside nurses and hospital administration. This will allow for an individualized plan based on the unique characteristics of each patient unit, the patient’s level of illness, skill mix of staff, and the technology and services available to the bedside nurse. Every day in hospitals across Pennsylvania staffing activities bring nurses and their patients together for the delivery of care. Even before the support of technology and research, the constant has been the decision making abilities of the professional nurse. Allowing bedside nurses to be a part of nurse staffing decisions and having the opportunity to use their expertise is in the best interests of patients, the care team and the hospital. With the changing healthcare environment involving direct care nurses and other members of the staff in decisions related to staffing assures that patient needs and staff competencies are appropriately matched, yielding better results for patients and staff alike. If you would like to join me in co-sponsoring this legislation, please contact my staff, Anne Yanikov via e-mail at ayanikov@pahousegop.com or (717) 783-1815. Thank you! |
Introduced as HB1631