| 33 | | - | (4) 'Patient care unit' means a hospital's emergency department and any unit or27 |
|---|
| 34 | | - | department of a hospital in which registered nurses provide direct patient care to28 |
|---|
| 35 | | - | inpatients.29 |
|---|
| 36 | | - | 31-7-31.30 |
|---|
| 37 | | - | (a) The governing body of a hospital shall adopt and implement a written nurse services31 |
|---|
| 38 | | - | staffing plan to provide that an adequate number and skill mix of nurses are available to32 |
|---|
| 39 | | - | meet the level of patient care needed for the hospital's patient care units. Such plan shall33 |
|---|
| 40 | | - | 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. 298 (SUB) |
|---|
| 45 | | - | - 2 - 25 LC 46 1163S |
|---|
| 46 | | - | (2) Adopting and implementing a nurse services staffing plan that is based on an38 |
|---|
| 47 | | - | assessment of the needs of each patient care unit and shift, including evidence relating39 |
|---|
| 48 | | - | to patient care needs of each patient care unit at the hospital;40 |
|---|
| 49 | | - | (3) Considering the 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 nurse services staffing plan adopted pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section48 |
|---|
| 57 | | - | shall:49 |
|---|
| 58 | | - | (1) Consider the nurse staffing standards established by the Joint Commission or other50 |
|---|
| 59 | | - | nationally recognized accreditation organizations, by the department, or by nationally51 |
|---|
| 60 | | - | recognized hospital associations;52 |
|---|
| 61 | | - | (2) Set minimum staffing levels for patient care units: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 periodically adjusting the nurse services staffing plan for each57 |
|---|
| 66 | | - | patient care unit to address significant changes in utilization or other circumstances that58 |
|---|
| 67 | | - | impact nurse staffing and require staffing flexibility to meet patient needs; and59 |
|---|
| 68 | | - | (4) Include a contingency plan when patient care needs unexpectedly exceed direct60 |
|---|
| 69 | | - | patient care staff resources.61 |
|---|
| 70 | | - | (c) A hospital shall:62 |
|---|
| 71 | | - | (1) Consider the nurse services staffing plan:63 |
|---|
| 72 | | - | (A) As a component in setting the nurse staffing budget; and64 |
|---|
| 73 | | - | H. B. 298 (SUB) |
|---|
| 74 | | - | - 3 - 25 LC 46 1163S |
|---|
| 75 | | - | (B) To guide the hospital in assigning nurses to patient care units; and65 |
|---|
| 76 | | - | (2) Make readily available to nurses on each patient care unit at the beginning of each66 |
|---|
| 77 | | - | shift the nurse services staffing plan levels and current staffing levels for that unit and67 |
|---|
| 78 | | - | that shift.68 |
|---|
| 79 | | - | 31-7-32.69 |
|---|
| 80 | | - | (a) A hospital shall establish a nurse staffing committee as a standing committee of the70 |
|---|
| 81 | | - | hospital.71 |
|---|
| 82 | | - | (b) The committee shall be composed of members who are representative of the types of72 |
|---|
| 83 | | - | nursing services provided in the hospital's patient care units.73 |
|---|
| 84 | | - | (c) The chief nursing officer of the hospital shall be a voting member of the committee.74 |
|---|
| 85 | | - | (d) At least 75 percent of the members of the committee shall be registered nurses who:75 |
|---|
| 86 | | - | (1) Provide direct patient care during at least 50 percent of their work time; and76 |
|---|
| 87 | | - | (2) Represent different patient care units provided by the hospital.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 nurse services staffing plan for the patient care units;84 |
|---|
| 95 | | - | (4) Evaluate, at least semiannually, the effectiveness of the nurse services staffing plan,85 |
|---|
| 96 | | - | including the reasons for any significant variations between the plan and the actual86 |
|---|
| 97 | | - | staffing; and87 |
|---|
| 98 | | - | (5) Submit to the hospital's governing body, at least semiannually, a report on nurse88 |
|---|
| 99 | | - | staffing and outcomes on the nurse-sensitive outcome measures reviewed by the89 |
|---|
| 100 | | - | committee, including the committee's evaluation of the effectiveness of the nurse services90 |
|---|
| 101 | | - | H. B. 298 (SUB) |
|---|
| 102 | | - | - 4 - 25 LC 46 1163S |
|---|
| 103 | | - | staffing plan and aggregate variations between the nurse services staffing plan and actual91 |
|---|
| 104 | | - | staffing.92 |
|---|
| 105 | | - | (g) In evaluating the effectiveness of the nurse services staffing plan, the committee shall93 |
|---|
| 106 | | - | consider, but is not limited to considering, patient needs, workforce shortages and94 |
|---|
| 107 | | - | availability, the nurse-sensitive outcome measures reviewed by the committee, any nurse95 |
|---|
| 108 | | - | satisfaction measures collected by the hospital for the patient care units, and any nationally96 |
|---|
| 109 | | - | recognized, written, evidence based nurse staffing benchmarks.97 |
|---|
| 110 | | - | (h) All proceedings, records, and reports of the committee shall be deemed confidential98 |
|---|
| 111 | | - | review organization records under Code Section 31-7-133 and shall not be subject to99 |
|---|
| 112 | | - | Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50. The nurse staffing plan adopted by a hospital shall not100 |
|---|
| 113 | | - | be subject to discovery or introduction into evidence in any civil action; and no person who101 |
|---|
| 114 | | - | was in attendance at a meeting of such committee shall be permitted or required to testify102 |
|---|
| 115 | | - | in any such civil action as to any evidence or other matters produced or presented during103 |
|---|
| 116 | | - | the proceedings or activities of the committee or as to the findings, recommendations,104 |
|---|
| 117 | | - | evaluations, opinions, or other actions of such committee or any members thereof.105 |
|---|
| 118 | | - | 31-7-33.106 |
|---|
| 119 | | - | (a) A hospital shall annually report to the department, and the department shall include as107 |
|---|
| 120 | | - | a confidential addendum to the annual hospital questionnaire, the following information:108 |
|---|
| 121 | | - | (1) Whether the hospital's governing body has adopted a nurse services staffing plan as109 |
|---|
| 122 | | - | required by Code Section 31-7-31;110 |
|---|
| 123 | | - | (2) Whether the hospital has established a nurse staffing committee as required by Code111 |
|---|
| 124 | | - | Section 31-7-32 that meets the membership requirements of such Code section;112 |
|---|
| 125 | | - | (3) Whether the nurse staffing committee has evaluated the hospital's nurse services113 |
|---|
| 126 | | - | staffing plan as required by Code Section 31-7-32 and has reported the results of the114 |
|---|
| 127 | | - | evaluation to the hospital's governing body as provided by such Code section; and115 |
|---|
| 128 | | - | H. B. 298 (SUB) |
|---|
| 129 | | - | - 5 - 25 LC 46 1163S |
|---|
| 130 | | - | (4) The nurse-sensitive outcome measures the committee adopted for use in evaluating116 |
|---|
| 131 | | - | the hospital's nurse services staffing plan.117 |
|---|
| 132 | | - | (b) To the extent possible, the department shall collect the information required pursuant118 |
|---|
| 133 | | - | to subsection (a) of this Code section in conjunction with surveys or other data required to119 |
|---|
| 134 | | - | be submitted to the department under other laws or regulations.120 |
|---|
| 135 | | - | (c) The reports provided by the hospitals under subsection (a) of this Code section shall121 |
|---|
| 136 | | - | not be subject to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50.122 |
|---|
| 137 | | - | 31-7-34.123 |
|---|
| 138 | | - | (a) The department shall maintain a secure online portal for the submission by hospital124 |
|---|
| 139 | | - | staff members of anonymous reports of unsafe staffing conditions in any hospital patient125 |
|---|
| 140 | | - | care unit, provided that the forms for reporting shall require specificity, including the126 |
|---|
| 141 | | - | patient care unit; the date, time, and description of the conditions deemed unsafe; and any127 |
|---|
| 142 | | - | supporting information.128 |
|---|
| 143 | | - | (b) Upon receipt of a report that complies with subsection (a) of this Code section, the129 |
|---|
| 144 | | - | department shall forward the report to its Healthcare Facility Regulation Division for130 |
|---|
| 145 | | - | possible investigation and to the nurse staffing committee of the hospital that is the subject131 |
|---|
| 146 | | - | of the report.132 |
|---|
| 147 | | - | (c) If the Healthcare Facility Regulation Division determines that a patient care unit133 |
|---|
| 148 | | - | identified in a report made under subsection (a) of this Code section failed to comply with134 |
|---|
| 149 | | - | nurse staffing requirements established by the department or violated any rule or regulation135 |
|---|
| 150 | | - | relating to the licensing of hospitals on the date identified in the complaint or during an136 |
|---|
| 151 | | - | on-site investigation, the Healthcare Facility Regulation Division is authorized to take137 |
|---|
| 152 | | - | appropriate actions under the provisions of Code Section 31-2-8.138 |
|---|
| 153 | | - | (d) The reports provided by hospital staff members under subsection (a) of this Code139 |
|---|
| 154 | | - | section shall not be subject to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50.140 |
|---|
| 155 | | - | H. B. 298 (SUB) |
|---|
| 156 | | - | - 6 - 25 LC 46 1163S |
|---|
| 157 | | - | 31-7-35.141 |
|---|
| 158 | | - | (a) There is hereby established an advisory commission, composed of 12 members as142 |
|---|
| 159 | | - | follows:143 |
|---|
| 160 | | - | (1) The following members appointed by the Governor:144 |
|---|
| 161 | | - | (A) An expert in nursing practice, quality of nursing care, or patient care standards;145 |
|---|
| 162 | | - | (B) A representative of an association representing nurses; and146 |
|---|
| 163 | | - | (C) Two representatives of an association representing hospitals;147 |
|---|
| 164 | | - | (2) The following members appointed by the President of the Senate:148 |
|---|
| 165 | | - | (A) An expert in nursing practice, quality of nursing care, or patient care standards;149 |
|---|
| 166 | | - | (B) A registered nurse who provides direct patient care at a hospital at least 50 percent150 |
|---|
| 167 | | - | of the work time; and151 |
|---|
| 168 | | - | (C) Two representatives of a hospital in a rural county; and152 |
|---|
| 169 | | - | (3) The following members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives:153 |
|---|
| 170 | | - | (A) An expert in nursing practice, quality of nursing care, or patient care standards;154 |
|---|
| 171 | | - | (B) A representative of an association representing nurses; and155 |
|---|
| 172 | | - | (C) Two representatives of a hospital.156 |
|---|
| 173 | | - | (b) The members of the advisory commission shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing157 |
|---|
| 174 | | - | official. Members of the advisory commission shall keep confidential any information158 |
|---|
| 175 | | - | received in the course of their duties and shall only use such information in the course of159 |
|---|
| 176 | | - | carrying out their duties on the advisory commission, except those reports required to be160 |
|---|
| 177 | | - | issued by the commission under this Code section, which shall only include de-identified161 |
|---|
| 178 | | - | information that cannot reasonably be used to identify any person, hospital, or other entity.162 |
|---|
| 179 | | - | (c) The advisory commission shall convene annually in order to evaluate the effectiveness163 |
|---|
| 180 | | - | of the nurse staffing committees established pursuant to Code Section 31-7-32. Such164 |
|---|
| 181 | | - | review shall evaluate quantitative and qualitative data, including, but not limited to,165 |
|---|
| 182 | | - | whether staffing levels were improved and maintained, patient satisfaction, employee166 |
|---|
| 183 | | - | H. B. 298 (SUB) |
|---|
| 184 | | - | - 7 - 25 LC 46 1163S |
|---|
| 185 | | - | satisfaction, patient quality of care metrics, workplace safety, and any other metrics the167 |
|---|
| 186 | | - | advisory commission deems relevant.168 |
|---|
| 187 | | - | (d) The advisory commission may collect and shall be provided all relevant information169 |
|---|
| 188 | | - | necessary to carry out its functions from the department and other appropriate state170 |
|---|
| 189 | | - | agencies. The commission may also invite testimony by experts in the field and from the171 |
|---|
| 190 | | - | public. In making its recommendations pursuant to subsection (e) of this Code section, the172 |
|---|
| 191 | | - | advisory commission shall analyze relevant data provided by the department or other state173 |
|---|
| 192 | | - | agencies, including data and factors contained in subsection (a) of Code Section 31-7-31174 |
|---|
| 193 | | - | related to nurse services staffing plans. The advisory commission may also make175 |
|---|
| 194 | | - | recommendations for additional or enhanced enforcement mechanisms or powers to176 |
|---|
| 195 | | - | address hospital failure to comply with this article and recommend the appropriation of177 |
|---|
| 196 | | - | funds for the department to enforce this article or to assist hospitals in recruiting or hiring178 |
|---|
| 197 | | - | additional nursing staff.179 |
|---|
| 198 | | - | (e) The advisory commission shall submit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives,180 |
|---|
| 199 | | - | the President of the Senate, and the chairpersons of the House Committee on Health and181 |
|---|
| 200 | | - | Senate Health and Human Services Committee, and make available to the public, a report182 |
|---|
| 201 | | - | that may include recommendations for further legislative action, if any, in order to improve183 |
|---|
| 202 | | - | nurse staffing in hospitals pursuant to the intent of this article.184 |
|---|
| 203 | | - | (f) Any information collected pursuant to Code Section 31-7-33 and provided to the185 |
|---|
| 204 | | - | advisory commission shall not be subject to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50."186 |
|---|
| 205 | | - | SECTION 2.187 |
|---|
| 206 | | - | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.188 |
|---|
| 207 | | - | H. B. 298 (SUB) |
|---|
| 48 | + | (4) 'Patient care unit' means a unit or area of a hospital in which registered nurses provide27 |
|---|
| 49 | + | patient care.28 |
|---|
| 50 | + | 31-7-31.29 |
|---|
| 51 | + | (a) The governing body of a hospital shall adopt and implement a written nurse services30 |
|---|
| 52 | + | staffing plan to ensure that an adequate number and skill mix of nurses are available to31 |
|---|
| 53 | + | meet the level of patient care needed. Such plan shall include a process for:32 |
|---|
| 54 | + | (1) Requiring the hospital to give significant consideration to the nurse services staffing33 |
|---|
| 55 | + | plan recommended by the hospital's nurse staffing committee and to that committee's34 |
|---|
| 56 | + | evaluation of any existing plan;35 |
|---|
| 57 | + | H. B. 298 |
|---|
| 58 | + | - 2 - 25 LC 46 9002 |
|---|
| 59 | + | (2) Adopting and implementing an official nurse services staffing plan that is based on36 |
|---|
| 60 | + | the needs of each patient care unit and shift and on evidence relating to patient care37 |
|---|
| 61 | + | needs;38 |
|---|
| 62 | + | (3) Using the official nurse services staffing plan as a component in setting the nurse39 |
|---|
| 63 | + | staffing budget;40 |
|---|
| 64 | + | (4) Encouraging nurses to provide input to the committee relating to nurse staffing41 |
|---|
| 65 | + | concerns;42 |
|---|
| 66 | + | (5) Protecting nurses who provide input to the committee from retaliation; and43 |
|---|
| 67 | + | (6) Monitoring compliance with any rules and regulations adopted by the department44 |
|---|
| 68 | + | relating to nurse staffing.45 |
|---|
| 69 | + | (b) The written nurse services staffing plan adopted pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code46 |
|---|
| 70 | + | section shall:47 |
|---|
| 71 | + | (1) Reflect current standards established by private accreditation organizations,48 |
|---|
| 72 | + | governmental entities, national nursing professional associations, or other healthcare49 |
|---|
| 73 | + | professional organizations;50 |
|---|
| 74 | + | (2) Set minimum staffing levels for patient care units that are:51 |
|---|
| 75 | + | (A) Based on multiple nurse and patient considerations; and52 |
|---|
| 76 | + | (B) Determined by the nursing assessment and in accordance with evidence based safe53 |
|---|
| 77 | + | nursing standards;54 |
|---|
| 78 | + | (3) Include a method for adjusting the nurse services staffing plan for each patient care55 |
|---|
| 79 | + | unit to provide staffing flexibility to meet patient needs; and56 |
|---|
| 80 | + | (4) Include a contingency plan when patient care needs unexpectedly exceed direct57 |
|---|
| 81 | + | patient care staff resources.58 |
|---|
| 82 | + | (c) A hospital shall:59 |
|---|
| 83 | + | (1) Use the official nurse services staffing plan:60 |
|---|
| 84 | + | (A) As a component in setting the nurse staffing budget; and61 |
|---|
| 85 | + | (B) To guide the hospital in assigning nurses hospital wide; and62 |
|---|
| 86 | + | H. B. 298 |
|---|
| 87 | + | - 3 - 25 LC 46 9002 |
|---|
| 88 | + | (2) Make readily available to nurses on each patient care unit at the beginning of each63 |
|---|
| 89 | + | shift the official nurse services staffing plan levels and current staffing levels for that unit64 |
|---|
| 90 | + | and that shift.65 |
|---|
| 91 | + | 31-7-32.66 |
|---|
| 92 | + | (a) A hospital shall establish a nurse staffing committee as a standing committee of the67 |
|---|
| 93 | + | hospital.68 |
|---|
| 94 | + | (b) The committee shall be composed of members who are representative of the types of69 |
|---|
| 95 | + | nursing services provided in the hospital.70 |
|---|
| 96 | + | (c) The chief nursing officer of the hospital shall be a voting member of the committee.71 |
|---|
| 97 | + | (d) At least 50 percent of the members of the committee shall be registered nurses who:72 |
|---|
| 98 | + | (1) Provide direct patient care during at least 50 percent of their work time; and73 |
|---|
| 99 | + | (2) Represent different inpatient care units, such as, but not limited to, medical, surgical,74 |
|---|
| 100 | + | intensive care, and cardiac units.75 |
|---|
| 101 | + | (e) The committee shall meet at least quarterly.76 |
|---|
| 102 | + | (f) The committee shall:77 |
|---|
| 103 | + | (1) Develop and recommend to the hospital's governing body a nurse services staffing78 |
|---|
| 104 | + | plan that meets the requirements of Code Section 31-7-31;79 |
|---|
| 105 | + | (2) Review, assess, and respond to staffing concerns expressed to the committee;80 |
|---|
| 106 | + | (3) Identify the nurse-sensitive outcome measures the committee will use to evaluate the81 |
|---|
| 107 | + | effectiveness of the official nurse services staffing plan;82 |
|---|
| 108 | + | (4) Evaluate, at least semiannually, the effectiveness of the official nurse services83 |
|---|
| 109 | + | staffing plan and variations between the plan and the actual staffing; and84 |
|---|
| 110 | + | (5) Submit to the hospital's governing body, at least semiannually, a report on nurse85 |
|---|
| 111 | + | staffing and patient care outcomes, including the committee's evaluation of the86 |
|---|
| 112 | + | effectiveness of the official nurse services staffing plan and aggregate variations between87 |
|---|
| 113 | + | the nurse services staffing plan and actual staffing.88 |
|---|
| 114 | + | H. B. 298 |
|---|
| 115 | + | - 4 - 25 LC 46 9002 |
|---|
| 116 | + | (g) In evaluating the effectiveness of the official nurse services staffing plan, the89 |
|---|
| 117 | + | committee shall consider patient needs, workforce shortages and availability,90 |
|---|
| 118 | + | nurse-sensitive outcome measures, nurse satisfaction measures collected by the hospital,91 |
|---|
| 119 | + | and evidence based nurse staffing standards.92 |
|---|
| 120 | + | 31-7-33.93 |
|---|
| 121 | + | (a) A hospital shall annually report to the department, and the department shall include as94 |
|---|
| 122 | + | a confidential addendum to the annual hospital questionnaire, the following information:95 |
|---|
| 123 | + | (1) Whether the hospital's governing body has adopted a nurse services staffing plan as96 |
|---|
| 124 | + | required by Code Section 31-7-31;97 |
|---|
| 125 | + | (2) Whether the hospital has established a nurse staffing committee as required by Code98 |
|---|
| 126 | + | Section 31-7-32 that meets the membership requirements of such Code section;99 |
|---|
| 127 | + | (3) Whether the nurse staffing committee has evaluated the hospital's official nurse100 |
|---|
| 128 | + | services staffing plan as required by Code Section 31-7-32 and has reported the results101 |
|---|
| 129 | + | of the evaluation to the hospital's governing body as provided by such Code section; and102 |
|---|
| 130 | + | (4) The nurse-sensitive outcome measures the committee adopted for use in evaluating103 |
|---|
| 131 | + | the hospital's official nurse services staffing plan and an evaluation of the effectiveness104 |
|---|
| 132 | + | of such measures.105 |
|---|
| 133 | + | (b) To the extent possible, the department shall collect the data required pursuant to106 |
|---|
| 134 | + | subsection (a) of this Code section in conjunction with surveys or other data required to be107 |
|---|
| 135 | + | submitted to the department under other laws or regulations.108 |
|---|
| 136 | + | (c) Such information shall not be subject to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50.109 |
|---|
| 137 | + | 31-7-34.110 |
|---|
| 138 | + | (a) The department shall maintain a secure online portal for the submission by hospital111 |
|---|
| 139 | + | staff members of anonymous reports of unsafe staffing conditions in any hospital.112 |
|---|
| 140 | + | H. B. 298 |
|---|
| 141 | + | - 5 - 25 LC 46 9002 |
|---|
| 142 | + | (b) Upon receipt of a report of unsafe staffing conditions, the department shall forward the113 |
|---|
| 143 | + | report to its Healthcare Facility Regulation Division for investigation and to the nurse114 |
|---|
| 144 | + | staffing committee of the hospital that is the subject of the report.115 |
|---|
| 145 | + | (c) The Healthcare Facility Regulation Division shall investigate all reports of unsafe116 |
|---|
| 146 | + | staffing conditions pursuant to Code Section 31-2-8. If the division determines that a117 |
|---|
| 147 | + | patient care unit identified in a complaint did not deliver nursing services in accordance118 |
|---|
| 148 | + | with patients' needs and generally accepted standards of practice on the date identified in119 |
|---|
| 149 | + | the complaint or during an on-site investigation, the division shall take appropriate actions120 |
|---|
| 150 | + | as authorized in Code Section 31-2-8.121 |
|---|
| 151 | + | 31-7-35.122 |
|---|
| 152 | + | (a) There is hereby established an advisory commission, composed of nine members as123 |
|---|
| 153 | + | follows:124 |
|---|
| 154 | + | (1) The following members appointed by the Governor:125 |
|---|
| 155 | + | (A) An expert in nursing practice, quality of nursing care, or patient care standards;126 |
|---|
| 156 | + | (B) A representative of an association representing nurses; and127 |
|---|
| 157 | + | (C) A representative of a hospital;128 |
|---|
| 158 | + | (2) The following members appointed by the President of the Senate:129 |
|---|
| 159 | + | (A) An expert in nursing practice, quality of nursing care, or patient care standards;130 |
|---|
| 160 | + | (B) A representative of an association representing nurses; and131 |
|---|
| 161 | + | (C) A representative of a hospital; and132 |
|---|
| 162 | + | (3) The following members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives:133 |
|---|
| 163 | + | (A) An expert in nursing practice, quality of nursing care, or patient care standards;134 |
|---|
| 164 | + | (B) A representative of an association representing nurses; and135 |
|---|
| 165 | + | (C) A representative of a hospital.136 |
|---|
| 166 | + | (b) The members of the advisory commission shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing137 |
|---|
| 167 | + | official. Members of the advisory commission shall keep confidential any information138 |
|---|
| 168 | + | H. B. 298 |
|---|
| 169 | + | - 6 - 25 LC 46 9002 |
|---|
| 170 | + | received in the course of their duties and shall only use such information in the course of139 |
|---|
| 171 | + | carrying out their duties on the advisory commission, except those reports required to be140 |
|---|
| 172 | + | issued by the commission under this Code section, which shall only include de-identified141 |
|---|
| 173 | + | information.142 |
|---|
| 174 | + | (c) The advisory commission shall convene annually in order to evaluate the effectiveness143 |
|---|
| 175 | + | of the nurse staffing committees established pursuant to Code Section 31-7-32. Such144 |
|---|
| 176 | + | review shall evaluate quantitative and qualitative data, including, but not limited to,145 |
|---|
| 177 | + | whether staffing levels were improved and maintained, patient satisfaction, employee146 |
|---|
| 178 | + | satisfaction, patient quality of care metrics, workplace safety, and any other metrics the147 |
|---|
| 179 | + | advisory commission deems relevant.148 |
|---|
| 180 | + | (d) The advisory commission may collect and shall be provided all relevant information149 |
|---|
| 181 | + | necessary to carry out its functions from the department and other appropriate state150 |
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| 182 | + | agencies. The commission may also invite testimony by experts in the field and from the151 |
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| 183 | + | public. In making its recommendations pursuant to subsection (e) of this Code section, the152 |
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| 184 | + | advisory commission shall analyze relevant data, including data and factors contained in153 |
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| 185 | + | subsection (a) of Code Section 31-7-31 related to nurse services staffing plans. The154 |
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| 186 | + | advisory commission may also make recommendations for additional or enhanced155 |
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| 187 | + | enforcement mechanisms or powers to address hospital failure to comply with this article156 |
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| 188 | + | and recommend the appropriation of funds for the department to enforce this article or to157 |
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| 189 | + | assist hospitals in hiring additional staff to comply with this article.158 |
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| 190 | + | (e) The advisory commission shall submit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives,159 |
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| 191 | + | the President of the Senate, and the chairpersons of the House Committee on Health and160 |
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| 192 | + | Senate Health and Human Services Committee, and make available to the public, a report161 |
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| 193 | + | that includes recommendations for further legislative action, if any, in order to improve162 |
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| 194 | + | working conditions and quality of care in hospitals pursuant to the intent of this article.163 |
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| 195 | + | (f) Any information collected pursuant to Code Section 31-7-33 and provided to the164 |
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| 196 | + | advisory commission shall not be subject to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50."165 |
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| 197 | + | H. B. 298 |
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| 198 | + | - 7 - 25 LC 46 9002 |
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| 199 | + | SECTION 2. |
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| 200 | + | 166 |
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| 201 | + | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.167 |
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| 202 | + | H. B. 298 |
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