Bill Text: HI SR5 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Nurse-to-patient Ratio; Hospitals

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-02-01 - Referred to CPH, WAM. [SR5 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-SR5-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	5
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

urging the department of health to adopt rules to establish minimum, specific, and numerical licensed nurse-to-patient ratios by licensed nurse classification and by hospital type for all hospitals in the State.

 

 

     WHEREAS, in 1999, California became the first state to establish minimum registered nurse-to-patient ratios for hospitals; and

 

     WHEREAS, final regulations to implement the law were issued in the summer of 2003, with hospitals required to meet the staffing ratios by January 2004; and

 

     WHEREAS, health care services in the State are becoming complex and it is increasingly difficult for patients to access integrated services; and

 

     WHEREAS, the quality of patient care in the State may be jeopardized due to staffing changes implemented in response to managed care; and

 

     WHEREAS, to ensure the adequate protection of Hawaii residents in acute care settings, it is essential that qualified registered nurses and other licensed nurses be accessible and available to meet the needs of patients; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2016, that the Department of Health is urged to adopt rules to establish minimum, specific, and numerical licensed nurse-to-patient ratios by licensed nurse classification and by hospital unit for all hospitals licensed pursuant to section 321-14.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department adopt these rules in accordance with the Department's licensing and certification laws pursuant to chapter 321 and chapter 457, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department may grant requests for waivers from rural hospitals if the health, safety, and well-being of patients are not jeopardized and for increased operational efficiency; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the ratios determined by the Department constitute the minimum number of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and advanced practice registered nurses that are allocated; provided that additional staff are assigned in accordance with a documented patient classification system for determining nursing care requirements, including the:

 

     (1)  Severity of the illness;

 

     (2)  Need for specialized equipment and technology;

 

     (3)  Complexity of clinical judgment needed to design, implement, and evaluate the patient care plan and the ability for self-care; and

 

     (4)  Licensure of the personnel required for care; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all hospitals licensed under section 321-14.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, adopt written policies and procedures specifying the nurse-to-patient ratios determined by the Department; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the rules adopted by the Department augment and not replace existing nurse-to-patient ratios that exist in rule or law for the intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care units, or operating rooms; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the rules adopted by the Department not replace existing licensed staff-to-patient ratios for mental health hospitals that are operated by the State; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Nurse-to-patient Ratio; Hospitals