Patient Safety Act is Approved by Public Health...(e. It will also prevent hospital ...),Health

will also prevent hospital administrators from moving nurses into

unfamiliar assignments without proper orientation.

-- The Act prevents the reduction of support services, including services

provided by licensed practical nurses, aides and technicians.

-- The bill establishes a number of nurse recruitment initiatives --

sought by the hospital industry and supported by the Coalition -- to

increase the supply of nurses, by providing nursing scholarships and

mentorship programs, as well as support for increases in nursing

faculty to educate new nurses. It also would create refresher programs

to assist nurses in returning to practice at the hospital bedside. A

survey of Massachusetts nurses found that more than 65 percent of those

not practicing in hospitals would be likely to return if a law

providing safe limits was passed. In California, where similar limits

have been in place for three years, 80,000 nurses have returned to the

bedside.

-- The bill establishes strong consumer protections for safe RN staffing,

including a prominent posting of the daily RN staffing standards on

each unit.

To date, 125 of the state's leading health care and patient advocacy groups have endorsed HB 2059 and have joined forces to push for its passage in both the House and Senate. Recent voter surveys indicate that more than 80 percent of the public supports establishing safe staffing limits.

The Patient Safety will now move to the Joint Committee on Health Care Finance.