| 19 | | - | (c) Each hospital shall establish a hospital staffing committee to assist in the preparation of the nurse staffing plan required pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. Registered nurses employed by the hospital whose primary responsibility is to provide direct patient care shall account for not less than fifty per cent of the membership of each hospital's staffing committee. In order to comply with the requirement that a hospital establish a hospital staffing committee, a hospital may utilize an existing committee or committees to assist in the preparation of the nurse staffing plan, provided not less than fifty per cent of the members of such existing committee or committees are registered nurses employed by the hospital whose primary responsibility is to provide direct patient care. Each hospital, in collaboration with its staffing committee, shall develop and implement to the best of its ability the prospective nurse staffing plan. Such plan shall: (1) Include the minimum professional skill mix for each patient care unit in the hospital, including, but not limited to, inpatient services, critical care and the emergency department; (2) identify the hospital's employment practices concerning the use of temporary and traveling nurses; (3) set forth the level of administrative staffing in each patient care unit of the hospital that ensures direct care staff are not utilized for administrative functions; (4) set forth the hospital's process for internal review of the nurse staffing plan; and (5) include the hospital's mechanism of obtaining input from direct care staff, including nurses and other members of the hospital's patient care team, in the development of the nurse staffing plan. In addition to the information described in subdivisions (1) to (5), inclusive, of this subsection, nurse staffing plans developed and implemented after January 1, 2016, shall include: (A) The number of registered nurses providing direct patient care and the ratio of patients to such registered nurses by patient care unit; (B) the number of licensed practical nurses providing direct patient care and the ratio of patients to such licensed practical nurses, by patient care unit; (C) the number of assistive personnel providing direct patient care and the ratio of patients to such assistive personnel, by patient care unit; (D) the method used by the hospital to determine and adjust direct patient care staffing levels; and (E) a description of supporting personnel assisting on each patient care unit. In addition to the information described in subdivisions (1) to (5), inclusive, of this subsection and subparagraphs (A) to (E), inclusive, of this subdivision, nurse staffing plans developed and implemented after January 1, 2017, shall include: (i) A description of any differences between the staffing levels described in the staffing plan and actual staffing levels for each patient care unit; and (ii) any actions the hospital intends to take to address such differences or adjust staffing levels in future staffing plans. |
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| 38 | + | (c) Each hospital shall establish a hospital staffing committee to assist in the preparation of the nurse staffing plan required pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. Registered nurses employed by the hospital whose primary responsibility is to provide direct patient care shall account for not less than fifty per cent of the membership of each hospital's staffing committee. In order to comply with the requirement that a hospital establish a hospital staffing committee, a hospital may utilize an existing committee or committees to assist in the preparation of the nurse staffing plan, provided not less than fifty per cent of the members of such existing committee or committees are registered nurses employed by the hospital whose primary responsibility is to provide direct patient care. Each hospital, in collaboration with its staffing committee, shall develop and implement to the best of its ability the prospective nurse staffing plan. Such plan shall: (1) Include the minimum professional skill mix for each patient care unit in the hospital, including, but not limited to, inpatient services, critical care and the emergency department; (2) identify the hospital's employment practices concerning the use of temporary and traveling nurses; (3) set forth the level of administrative staffing in each patient care unit of the hospital that ensures direct care staff are not utilized for administrative functions; (4) set forth the hospital's process for internal review of the nurse staffing plan; and (5) include the hospital's mechanism of obtaining input from direct care staff, including nurses and other members of the hospital's patient care team, in the development of the nurse staffing plan. In addition to the information described in subdivisions (1) to (5), inclusive, of this subsection, nurse staffing plans developed and implemented after January 1, 2016, shall include: (A) The number of registered nurses providing direct patient care and the ratio of patients to such registered nurses; (B) the number of licensed practical nurses providing direct patient care and the ratio of patients to such licensed practical nurses, by patient care unit; (C) the number of assistive personnel providing direct patient care and the ratio of patients to such assistive personnel, by patient care unit; (D) the method used by the hospital to determine and adjust direct patient care staffing levels; and (E) a description of supporting personnel assisting on each patient care unit. In addition to the information described in subdivisions (1) to (5), inclusive, of this subsection and subparagraphs (A) to (E), inclusive, of this subdivision, nurse staffing plans developed and implemented after January 1, 2017, shall include: (i) A description of any differences between the staffing levels described in the staffing plan and actual staffing levels for each patient care unit; and (ii) any actions the hospital intends to take to address such differences or adjust staffing levels in future staffing plans. |
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