Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2021
- Last Action
- 5/13/2021
Actions
- 2021-05-13Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
- 2021-05-12Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2021-05-12Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2021-05-12Introduced in House
- 2021-05-12Introduced in House
CRS Summary
As of 2021-05-12 (00)
Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2021
This bill requires hospitals to implement and submit to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) a staffing plan that complies with specified minimum nurse-to-patient ratios by unit. Hospitals must post a notice regarding nurse-to-patient ratios in each unit and maintain records of actual ratios for each shift in each unit. The bill also requires hospitals to follow certain procedures regarding how ratios are determined and other staff are prohibited from performing nurse functions unless specifically authorized within a state's scope of practice rules, among other requirements.
HHS must adjust Medicare payments to hospitals to cover additional costs attributable to compliance with these ratios.
Nurses may object to, or refuse to participate in, an assignment if it would violate minimum ratios or if they are not prepared by education or experience to fulfill the assignment without compromising the safety of a patient or jeopardizing their nurse's license. Hospitals may not (1) take adverse actions against a nurse based on the nurse's reasonable refusal to accept an assignment; or (2) discriminate against individuals for good faith complaints relating to the care, services, or conditions of the hospital or related facilities. HHS may impose civil monetary penalties on hospitals violating the ratio requirements and must publish the names of such hospitals.
The bill provides stipends to the nurse workforce loan repayment and scholarship program and expands the nurse retention grant program to include nurse preceptorship and mentorship projects.
Cosponsors (20)
- BOBBY RUSH (D-IL)
- Ro Khanna (D-CA)
- Steve Cohen (D-TN)
- Mark Takano (D-CA)
- Gwen Moore (D-WI)
- BARBARA LEE (D-CA)
- NYDIA VELAZQUEZ (D-NY)
- EARL BLUMENAUER (D-OR)
- BRAD SHERMAN (D-CA)
- Pramila Jayapal (D-WA)
- ZOE LOFGREN (D-CA)
- Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
- Robin Kelly (D-IL)
- BETTY MCCOLLUM (D-MN)
- MAXINE WATERS (D-CA)
- GRACE NAPOLITANO (D-CA)
- Julia Brownley (D-CA)
- Marie Newman (D-IL)
- Dina Titus (D-NV)
- Mondaire Jones (D-NY)
Subjects
- Administrative law and regulatory procedures
- Civil actions and liability
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Employment discrimination and employee rights
- Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
- Government information and archives
- Government studies and investigations
- Health care quality
- Health facilities and institutions
- Health information and medical records
- Health personnel
- Health programs administration and funding
- Health technology, devices, supplies
- Hospital care
- Indian social and development programs
- Labor-management relations
- Medicaid
- Medical education
- Medicare
Sourced from Congress.gov (public domain).
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.