| 28 | | - | to Article 1 of this chapter, including a hospital maintained or operated by a hospital22 |
|---|
| 29 | | - | authority; provided, however, that this shall not include a state-owned or operated23 |
|---|
| 30 | | - | hospital.24 |
|---|
| 31 | | - | (3) 'Nurse services staffing plan' means the staffing plan required to be established by a25 |
|---|
| 32 | | - | hospital pursuant to Code Section 31-7-31.26 |
|---|
| 33 | | - | (4) 'Nurse staffing committee' means the standing committee established by a hospital27 |
|---|
| 34 | | - | pursuant to Code Section 31-7-32.28 |
|---|
| 35 | | - | (5) 'Patient care unit' means a unit or area of a hospital in which registered nurses provide29 |
|---|
| 36 | | - | patient care.30 |
|---|
| 37 | | - | 31-7-31.31 |
|---|
| 38 | | - | (a) The governing body of a hospital shall adopt and implement a written nurse services32 |
|---|
| 39 | | - | staffing plan to ensure that an adequate number and skill mix of nurses are available to33 |
|---|
| 40 | | - | meet the level of patient care needed. Such plan shall include a process for:34 |
|---|
| 41 | | - | (1) Requiring the hospital to give significant consideration to the nurse services staffing35 |
|---|
| 42 | | - | plan recommended by the hospital's nurse staffing committee and to that committee's36 |
|---|
| 43 | | - | evaluation of any existing plan;37 |
|---|
| 44 | | - | H. B. 745 (SUB) |
|---|
| 45 | | - | - 2 - 24 LC 33 9647S |
|---|
| 46 | | - | (2) Adopting and implementing an official nurse services staffing plan that is based on38 |
|---|
| 47 | | - | the needs of each patient care unit and shift and on evidence relating to patient care39 |
|---|
| 48 | | - | needs;40 |
|---|
| 49 | | - | (3) Using the official nurse services staffing plan as a component in setting the nurse41 |
|---|
| 50 | | - | staffing budget;42 |
|---|
| 51 | | - | (4) Encouraging nurses to provide input to the committee relating to nurse staffing43 |
|---|
| 52 | | - | concerns;44 |
|---|
| 53 | | - | (5) Protecting nurses who provide input to the committee from retaliation; and45 |
|---|
| 54 | | - | (6) Monitoring compliance with any rules and regulations adopted by the department46 |
|---|
| 55 | | - | relating to nurse staffing.47 |
|---|
| 56 | | - | (b) The written nurse services staffing plan adopted pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code48 |
|---|
| 57 | | - | section shall:49 |
|---|
| 58 | | - | (1) Reflect current standards established by private accreditation organizations,50 |
|---|
| 59 | | - | governmental entities, national nursing professional associations, or other healthcare51 |
|---|
| 60 | | - | professional organizations;52 |
|---|
| 61 | | - | (2) Set minimum staffing levels for patient care units that are:53 |
|---|
| 62 | | - | (A) Based on multiple nurse and patient considerations; and54 |
|---|
| 63 | | - | (B) Determined by the nursing assessment and in accordance with evidence based safe55 |
|---|
| 64 | | - | nursing standards;56 |
|---|
| 65 | | - | (3) Include a method for adjusting the nurse services staffing plan for each patient care57 |
|---|
| 66 | | - | unit to provide staffing flexibility to meet patient needs; and58 |
|---|
| 67 | | - | (4) Include a contingency plan when patient care needs unexpectedly exceed direct59 |
|---|
| 68 | | - | patient care staff resources.60 |
|---|
| 69 | | - | (c) A hospital shall:61 |
|---|
| 70 | | - | (1) Use the official nurse services staffing plan:62 |
|---|
| 71 | | - | (A) As a component in setting the nurse staffing budget; and63 |
|---|
| 72 | | - | (B) To guide the hospital in assigning nurses hospital wide; and64 |
|---|
| 73 | | - | H. B. 745 (SUB) |
|---|
| 74 | | - | - 3 - 24 LC 33 9647S |
|---|
| 75 | | - | (2) Make readily available to nurses on each patient care unit at the beginning of each65 |
|---|
| 76 | | - | shift the official nurse services staffing plan levels and current staffing levels for that unit66 |
|---|
| 77 | | - | and that shift.67 |
|---|
| 78 | | - | 31-7-32.68 |
|---|
| 79 | | - | (a) A hospital shall establish a nurse staffing committee as a standing committee of the69 |
|---|
| 80 | | - | hospital.70 |
|---|
| 81 | | - | (b) The committee shall be composed of members who are representative of the types of71 |
|---|
| 82 | | - | nursing services provided in the hospital.72 |
|---|
| 83 | | - | (c) The chief nursing officer of the hospital shall be a voting member of the committee.73 |
|---|
| 84 | | - | (d) At least 50 percent of the members of the committee shall be registered nurses who:74 |
|---|
| 85 | | - | (1) Provide direct patient care during at least 50 percent of their work time; and75 |
|---|
| 86 | | - | (2) Represent different inpatient care units, such as, but not limited to, medical/surgical,76 |
|---|
| 87 | | - | intensive care, and cardiac.77 |
|---|
| 88 | | - | (e) The committee shall meet at least quarterly.78 |
|---|
| 89 | | - | (f) The committee shall:79 |
|---|
| 90 | | - | (1) Develop and recommend to the hospital's governing body a nurse services staffing80 |
|---|
| 91 | | - | plan that meets the requirements of Code Section 31-7-31;81 |
|---|
| 92 | | - | (2) Review, assess, and respond to staffing concerns expressed to the committee;82 |
|---|
| 93 | | - | (3) Identify the nurse-sensitive outcome measures the committee will use to evaluate the83 |
|---|
| 94 | | - | effectiveness of the official nurse services staffing plan;84 |
|---|
| 95 | | - | (4) Evaluate, at least semiannually, the effectiveness of the official nurse services85 |
|---|
| 96 | | - | staffing plan and variations between the plan and the actual staffing; and86 |
|---|
| 97 | | - | (5) Submit to the hospital's governing body, at least semiannually, a report on nurse87 |
|---|
| 98 | | - | staffing and patient care outcomes, including the committee's evaluation of the88 |
|---|
| 99 | | - | effectiveness of the official nurse services staffing plan and aggregate variations between89 |
|---|
| 100 | | - | the nurse services staffing plan and actual staffing.90 |
|---|
| 101 | | - | H. B. 745 (SUB) |
|---|
| 102 | | - | - 4 - 24 LC 33 9647S |
|---|
| 103 | | - | (g) In evaluating the effectiveness of the official nurse services staffing plan, the91 |
|---|
| 104 | | - | committee shall consider patient needs, workforce shortages and availability,92 |
|---|
| 105 | | - | nurse-sensitive outcome measures, nurse satisfaction measures collected by the hospital,93 |
|---|
| 106 | | - | and evidence based nurse staffing standards.94 |
|---|
| 107 | | - | 31-7-33.95 |
|---|
| 108 | | - | (a) A hospital shall annually report to the department, and the department shall include as96 |
|---|
| 109 | | - | a confidential addendum to the annual hospital questionnaire, the following information:97 |
|---|
| 110 | | - | (1) Whether the hospital's governing body has adopted a nurse services staffing plan as98 |
|---|
| 111 | | - | required by Code Section 31-7-31;99 |
|---|
| 112 | | - | (2) Whether the hospital has established a nurse staffing committee as required by Code100 |
|---|
| 113 | | - | Section 31-7-32 that meets the membership requirements of such Code section;101 |
|---|
| 114 | | - | (3) Whether the nurse staffing committee has evaluated the hospital's official nurse102 |
|---|
| 115 | | - | services staffing plan as required by Code Section 31-7-32 and has reported the results103 |
|---|
| 116 | | - | of the evaluation to the hospital's governing body as provided by such Code section; and104 |
|---|
| 117 | | - | (4) The nurse-sensitive outcome measures the committee adopted for use in evaluating105 |
|---|
| 118 | | - | the hospital's official nurse services staffing plan and an evaluation of the effectiveness106 |
|---|
| 119 | | - | of such measures.107 |
|---|
| 120 | | - | (b) To the extent possible, the department shall collect the data required pursuant to108 |
|---|
| 121 | | - | subsection (a) of this Code section in conjunction with surveys or other data required to be109 |
|---|
| 122 | | - | submitted to the department under other laws or regulations.110 |
|---|
| 123 | | - | (c) Such information shall not be subject to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50.111 |
|---|
| 124 | | - | 31-7-34.112 |
|---|
| 125 | | - | (a) The department shall maintain a secure online portal for the submission by hospital113 |
|---|
| 126 | | - | staff members of anonymous reports of unsafe staffing conditions in any hospital.114 |
|---|
| 127 | | - | H. B. 745 (SUB) |
|---|
| 128 | | - | - 5 - 24 LC 33 9647S |
|---|
| 129 | | - | (b) Upon receipt of a report of unsafe staffing conditions, the department shall forward the115 |
|---|
| 130 | | - | report to its Division of Healthcare Facility Regulation for investigation, to the nurse116 |
|---|
| 131 | | - | staffing committee of the hospital that is the subject of the report.117 |
|---|
| 132 | | - | (c) The Division of Healthcare Facility Regulation shall investigate all reports of unsafe118 |
|---|
| 133 | | - | staffing conditions pursuant to Code Section 31-2-8. If the division determines that a119 |
|---|
| 134 | | - | patient care unit identified in a complaint did not deliver nursing services in accordance120 |
|---|
| 135 | | - | with patients' needs and generally accepted standards of practice on the date identified in121 |
|---|
| 136 | | - | the complaint or during an on-site investigation, the division shall take appropriate actions122 |
|---|
| 137 | | - | as authorized in Code Section 31-2-8.123 |
|---|
| 138 | | - | 31-7-35.124 |
|---|
| 139 | | - | (a) There is hereby established an advisory commission, composed of nine members as125 |
|---|
| 140 | | - | follows:126 |
|---|
| 141 | | - | (1) The following members appointed by the Governor:127 |
|---|
| 142 | | - | (A) An expert in nursing practice, quality of nursing care, or patient care standards;128 |
|---|
| 143 | | - | (B) A representative of associations representing nurses; and129 |
|---|
| 144 | | - | (C) A representative of a hospital;130 |
|---|
| 145 | | - | (2) The following members appointed by the President of the Senate:131 |
|---|
| 146 | | - | (A) An expert in nursing practice, quality of nursing care, or patient care standards;132 |
|---|
| 147 | | - | (B) A representative of associations representing nurses; and133 |
|---|
| 148 | | - | (C) A representative of a hospital; and134 |
|---|
| 149 | | - | (3) The following members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives:135 |
|---|
| 150 | | - | (A) An expert in nursing practice, quality of nursing care, or patient care standards;136 |
|---|
| 151 | | - | (B) A representative of associations representing nurses; and137 |
|---|
| 152 | | - | (C) A representative of a hospital.138 |
|---|
| 153 | | - | The members of the advisory commission shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing139 |
|---|
| 154 | | - | official. Members of the advisory commission shall keep confidential any information140 |
|---|
| 155 | | - | H. B. 745 (SUB) |
|---|
| 156 | | - | - 6 - 24 LC 33 9647S |
|---|
| 157 | | - | received in the course of their duties and shall only use such information in the course of141 |
|---|
| 158 | | - | carrying out their duties on the advisory commission, except those reports required to be142 |
|---|
| 159 | | - | issued by the commission under this Code section, which shall only include de-identified143 |
|---|
| 160 | | - | information.144 |
|---|
| 161 | | - | (b) The advisory commission shall convene annually in order to evaluate the effectiveness145 |
|---|
| 162 | | - | of the nurse staffing committees established pursuant to Code Section 31-7-32. Such146 |
|---|
| 163 | | - | review shall evaluate quantitative and qualitative data, including, but not limited to,147 |
|---|
| 164 | | - | whether staffing levels were improved and maintained, patient satisfaction, employee148 |
|---|
| 165 | | - | satisfaction, patient quality of care metrics, workplace safety, and any other metrics the149 |
|---|
| 166 | | - | advisory commission deems relevant.150 |
|---|
| 167 | | - | (c) The advisory commission may collect and shall be provided all relevant information151 |
|---|
| 168 | | - | necessary to carry out its functions from the department and other appropriate state152 |
|---|
| 169 | | - | agencies. The commission may also invite testimony by experts in the field and from the153 |
|---|
| 170 | | - | public. In making its recommendations pursuant to subsection (d) of this Code section, the154 |
|---|
| 171 | | - | advisory commission shall analyze relevant data, including data and factors contained in155 |
|---|
| 172 | | - | subsection (a) of Code Section 31-7-31 related to nurse services staffing plans. The156 |
|---|
| 173 | | - | advisory commission may also make recommendations for additional or enhanced157 |
|---|
| 174 | | - | enforcement mechanisms or powers to address hospital failure to comply with this article158 |
|---|
| 175 | | - | and recommend the appropriation of funding for the department to enforce this article or159 |
|---|
| 176 | | - | to assist hospitals in hiring additional staff to comply with this article.160 |
|---|
| 177 | | - | (d) The advisory commission shall submit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives,161 |
|---|
| 178 | | - | the President of the Senate, and the chairpersons of the House Committee on Health and162 |
|---|
| 179 | | - | Senate Health and Human Services Committee, and make available to the public, a report163 |
|---|
| 180 | | - | that includes recommendations for further legislative action, if any, in order to improve164 |
|---|
| 181 | | - | working conditions and quality of care in hospitals pursuant to the intent of this article.165 |
|---|
| 182 | | - | (e) Any information collected pursuant to Code Section 31-7-33 and provided to the166 |
|---|
| 183 | | - | advisory commission shall not be subject to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50."167 |
|---|
| 184 | | - | H. B. 745 (SUB) |
|---|
| 185 | | - | - 7 - 24 LC 33 9647S |
|---|
| 186 | | - | SECTION 2.168 |
|---|
| 187 | | - | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.169 |
|---|
| 188 | | - | H. B. 745 (SUB) |
|---|
| 43 | + | to Article 1 of this chapter, including a hospital maintained or operated by this state or22 |
|---|
| 44 | + | a hospital authority.23 |
|---|
| 45 | + | (3) 'Nurse services staffing plan' means the staffing plan required to be established by a24 |
|---|
| 46 | + | hospital pursuant to Code Section 31-7-31.25 |
|---|
| 47 | + | (4) 'Nurse staffing committee' means the standing committee established by a hospital26 |
|---|
| 48 | + | pursuant to Code Section 31-7-32.27 |
|---|
| 49 | + | (5) 'Patient care unit' means a unit or area of a hospital in which registered nurses provide28 |
|---|
| 50 | + | patient care.29 |
|---|
| 51 | + | 31-7-31.30 |
|---|
| 52 | + | (a) The governing body of a hospital shall adopt and implement a written nurse services31 |
|---|
| 53 | + | staffing plan to ensure that an adequate number and skill mix of nurses are available to32 |
|---|
| 54 | + | meet the level of patient care needed. Such plan shall include a process for:33 |
|---|
| 55 | + | (1) Requiring the hospital to give significant consideration to the nurse services staffing34 |
|---|
| 56 | + | plan recommended by the hospital's nurse staffing committee and to that committee's35 |
|---|
| 57 | + | evaluation of any existing plan;36 23 LC 33 9495 |
|---|
| 58 | + | H. B. 745 |
|---|
| 59 | + | - 3 - |
|---|
| 60 | + | (2) Adopting and implementing an official nurse services staffing plan that is based on37 |
|---|
| 61 | + | the needs of each patient care unit and shift and on evidence relating to patient care38 |
|---|
| 62 | + | needs;39 |
|---|
| 63 | + | (3) Using the official nurse services staffing plan as a component in setting the nurse40 |
|---|
| 64 | + | staffing budget;41 |
|---|
| 65 | + | (4) Encouraging nurses to provide input to the committee relating to nurse staffing42 |
|---|
| 66 | + | concerns;43 |
|---|
| 67 | + | (5) Protecting nurses who provide input to the committee from retaliation; and44 |
|---|
| 68 | + | (6) Monitoring compliance with any rules and regulations adopted by the department45 |
|---|
| 69 | + | relating to nurse staffing.46 |
|---|
| 70 | + | (b) The written nurse services staffing plan adopted pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code47 |
|---|
| 71 | + | section shall:48 |
|---|
| 72 | + | (1) Reflect current standards established by private accreditation organizations,49 |
|---|
| 73 | + | governmental entities, national nursing professional associations, or other healthcare50 |
|---|
| 74 | + | professional organizations;51 |
|---|
| 75 | + | (2) Set minimum staffing levels for patient care units that are:52 |
|---|
| 76 | + | (A) Based on multiple nurse and patient considerations; and53 |
|---|
| 77 | + | (B) Determined by the nursing assessment and in accordance with evidence based safe54 |
|---|
| 78 | + | nursing standards;55 |
|---|
| 79 | + | (3) Include a method for adjusting the nurse services staffing plan for each patient care56 |
|---|
| 80 | + | unit to provide staffing flexibility to meet patient needs; and57 |
|---|
| 81 | + | (4) Include a contingency plan when patient care needs unexpectedly exceed direct58 |
|---|
| 82 | + | patient care staff resources.59 |
|---|
| 83 | + | (c) A hospital shall:60 |
|---|
| 84 | + | (1) Use the official nurse services staffing plan:61 |
|---|
| 85 | + | (A) As a component in setting the nurse staffing budget; and62 |
|---|
| 86 | + | (B) To guide the hospital in assigning nurses hospital wide; and63 23 LC 33 9495 |
|---|
| 87 | + | H. B. 745 |
|---|
| 88 | + | - 4 - |
|---|
| 89 | + | (2) Make readily available to nurses on each patient care unit at the beginning of each64 |
|---|
| 90 | + | shift the official nurse services staffing plan levels and current staffing levels for that unit65 |
|---|
| 91 | + | and that shift.66 |
|---|
| 92 | + | 31-7-32.67 |
|---|
| 93 | + | (a) A hospital shall establish a nurse staffing committee as a standing committee of the68 |
|---|
| 94 | + | hospital.69 |
|---|
| 95 | + | (b) The committee shall be composed of members who are representative of the types of70 |
|---|
| 96 | + | nursing services provided in the hospital.71 |
|---|
| 97 | + | (c) The chief nursing officer of the hospital shall be a voting member of the committee.72 |
|---|
| 98 | + | (d) At least 50 percent of the members of the committee shall be registered nurses who:73 |
|---|
| 99 | + | (1) Provide direct patient care during at least 50 percent of their work time; and74 |
|---|
| 100 | + | (2) Are selected by their peers who provide direct patient care during at least 50 percent75 |
|---|
| 101 | + | of their work time.76 |
|---|
| 102 | + | (e) The committee shall meet at least quarterly.77 |
|---|
| 103 | + | (f) The committee shall:78 |
|---|
| 104 | + | (1) Develop and recommend to the hospital's governing body a nurse services staffing79 |
|---|
| 105 | + | plan that meets the requirements of Code Section 31-7-31;80 |
|---|
| 106 | + | (2) Review, assess, and respond to staffing concerns expressed to the committee;81 |
|---|
| 107 | + | (3) Identify the nurse-sensitive outcome measures the committee will use to evaluate the82 |
|---|
| 108 | + | effectiveness of the official nurse services staffing plan;83 |
|---|
| 109 | + | (4) Evaluate, at least semiannually, the effectiveness of the official nurse services84 |
|---|
| 110 | + | staffing plan and variations between the plan and the actual staffing; and85 |
|---|
| 111 | + | (5) Submit to the hospital's governing body, at least semiannually, a report on nurse86 |
|---|
| 112 | + | staffing and patient care outcomes, including the committee's evaluation of the87 |
|---|
| 113 | + | effectiveness of the official nurse services staffing plan and aggregate variations between88 |
|---|
| 114 | + | the nurse services staffing plan and actual staffing.89 23 LC 33 9495 |
|---|
| 115 | + | H. B. 745 |
|---|
| 116 | + | - 5 - |
|---|
| 117 | + | (g) In evaluating the effectiveness of the official nurse services staffing plan, the90 |
|---|
| 118 | + | committee shall consider patient needs, workforce shortages and availability,91 |
|---|
| 119 | + | nurse-sensitive outcome measures, nurse satisfaction measures collected by the hospital,92 |
|---|
| 120 | + | and evidence based nurse staffing standards.93 |
|---|
| 121 | + | 31-7-33.94 |
|---|
| 122 | + | (a) A hospital shall annually report to the department, and the department shall include as95 |
|---|
| 123 | + | a confidential addendum to the annual hospital questionnaire, the following information:96 |
|---|
| 124 | + | (1) Whether the hospital's governing body has adopted a nurse services staffing plan as97 |
|---|
| 125 | + | required by Code Section 31-7-31;98 |
|---|
| 126 | + | (2) Whether the hospital has established a nurse staffing committee as required by Code99 |
|---|
| 127 | + | Section 31-7-32 that meets the membership requirements of such Code section;100 |
|---|
| 128 | + | (3) Whether the nurse staffing committee has evaluated the hospital's official nurse101 |
|---|
| 129 | + | services staffing plan as required by Code Section 31-7-32 and has reported the results102 |
|---|
| 130 | + | of the evaluation to the hospital's governing body as provided by such Code section; and103 |
|---|
| 131 | + | (4) The nurse-sensitive outcome measures the committee adopted for use in evaluating104 |
|---|
| 132 | + | the hospital's official nurse services staffing plan and an evaluation of the effectiveness105 |
|---|
| 133 | + | of such measures.106 |
|---|
| 134 | + | (b) To the extent possible, the department shall collect the data required pursuant to107 |
|---|
| 135 | + | subsection (a) of this Code section in conjunction with surveys or other data required to be108 |
|---|
| 136 | + | submitted to the department under other laws or regulations.109 |
|---|
| 137 | + | (c) Such information shall not be subject to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50.110 |
|---|
| 138 | + | 31-7-34.111 |
|---|
| 139 | + | (a) The department shall maintain a secure online portal for the submission by hospital112 |
|---|
| 140 | + | staff members of anonymous reports of unsafe staffing conditions in any hospital.113 23 LC 33 9495 |
|---|
| 141 | + | H. B. 745 |
|---|
| 142 | + | - 6 - |
|---|
| 143 | + | (b) Upon receipt of a report of unsafe staffing conditions, the department shall forward the114 |
|---|
| 144 | + | report to its Division of Healthcare Facility Regulation for investigation, to the nurse115 |
|---|
| 145 | + | staffing committee of the hospital that is the subject of the report.116 |
|---|
| 146 | + | (c) The Division of Healthcare Facility Regulation shall investigate all reports of unsafe117 |
|---|
| 147 | + | staffing conditions pursuant to Code Section 31-2-8. If the division determines that a118 |
|---|
| 148 | + | patient care unit identified in a complaint did not deliver nursing services in accordance119 |
|---|
| 149 | + | with patients' needs and generally accepted standards of practice on the date identified in120 |
|---|
| 150 | + | the complaint or during an on-site investigation, the division shall take appropriate actions121 |
|---|
| 151 | + | as authorized in Code Section 31-2-8.122 |
|---|
| 152 | + | 31-7-35.123 |
|---|
| 153 | + | (a) There is hereby established an advisory commission, composed of nine members as124 |
|---|
| 154 | + | follows:125 |
|---|
| 155 | + | (1) The following members appointed by the Governor:126 |
|---|
| 156 | + | (A) An expert in nursing practice, quality of nursing care, or patient care standards;127 |
|---|
| 157 | + | (B) A representative of associations representing nurses; and128 |
|---|
| 158 | + | (C) A representative of a hospital;129 |
|---|
| 159 | + | (2) The following members appointed by the President of the Senate:130 |
|---|
| 160 | + | (A) An expert in nursing practice, quality of nursing care, or patient care standards;131 |
|---|
| 161 | + | (B) A representative of associations representing nurses; and132 |
|---|
| 162 | + | (C) A representative of a hospital; and133 |
|---|
| 163 | + | (3) The following members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives:134 |
|---|
| 164 | + | (A) An expert in nursing practice, quality of nursing care, or patient care standards;135 |
|---|
| 165 | + | (B) A representative of associations representing nurses; and136 |
|---|
| 166 | + | (C) A representative of a hospital.137 |
|---|
| 167 | + | The members of the advisory commission shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing138 |
|---|
| 168 | + | official. Members of the advisory commission shall keep confidential any information139 23 LC 33 9495 |
|---|
| 169 | + | H. B. 745 |
|---|
| 170 | + | - 7 - |
|---|
| 171 | + | received in the course of their duties and shall only use such information in the course of140 |
|---|
| 172 | + | carrying out their duties on the advisory commission, except those reports required to be141 |
|---|
| 173 | + | issued by the commission under this Code section, which shall only include de-identified142 |
|---|
| 174 | + | information.143 |
|---|
| 175 | + | (b) The advisory commission shall convene annually in order to evaluate the effectiveness144 |
|---|
| 176 | + | of the nurse staffing committees established pursuant to Code Section 31-7-32. Such145 |
|---|
| 177 | + | review shall evaluate quantitative and qualitative data, including, but not limited to,146 |
|---|
| 178 | + | whether staffing levels were improved and maintained, patient satisfaction, employee147 |
|---|
| 179 | + | satisfaction, patient quality of care metrics, workplace safety, and any other metrics the148 |
|---|
| 180 | + | advisory commission deems relevant.149 |
|---|
| 181 | + | (c) The advisory commission may collect and shall be provided all relevant information150 |
|---|
| 182 | + | necessary to carry out its functions from the department and other appropriate state151 |
|---|
| 183 | + | agencies. The commission may also invite testimony by experts in the field and from the152 |
|---|
| 184 | + | public. In making its recommendations pursuant to subsection (d) of this Code section, the153 |
|---|
| 185 | + | advisory commission shall analyze relevant data, including data and factors contained in154 |
|---|
| 186 | + | subsection (a) of Code Section 31-7-31 related to nurse services staffing plans. The155 |
|---|
| 187 | + | advisory commission may also make recommendations for additional or enhanced156 |
|---|
| 188 | + | enforcement mechanisms or powers to address hospital failure to comply with this article157 |
|---|
| 189 | + | and recommend the appropriation of funding for the department to enforce this article or158 |
|---|
| 190 | + | to assist hospitals in hiring additional staff to comply with this article.159 |
|---|
| 191 | + | (d) The advisory commission shall submit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives,160 |
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| 192 | + | the President of the Senate, and the chairpersons of the House Committee on Health and161 |
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| 193 | + | Senate Health and Human Services Committee, and make available to the public, a report162 |
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| 194 | + | that includes recommendations for further legislative action, if any, in order to improve163 |
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| 195 | + | working conditions and quality of care in hospitals pursuant to the intent of this article.164 |
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| 196 | + | (e) Any information collected pursuant to Code Section 31-7-33 and provided to the165 |
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| 197 | + | advisory commission shall not be subject to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50."166 23 LC 33 9495 |
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| 198 | + | H. B. 745 |
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