Bill > SB372

This bill establishes comprehensive safe staffing standards for nurses in hospitals across Montana, requiring each licensed hospital to create a nurse staffing plan developed by a staffing committee that is majority-composed of direct patient care nurses. The bill mandates specific nurse-to-patient ratios for different hospital units, such as limiting emergency room nurses to four non-critical patients or one critical care patient, intensive care unit nurses to two patients, and labor and delivery nurses to one patient experiencing complications or two patients without complications. Hospitals must maintain detailed records of nurse-to-patient ratios, post their staffing plans publicly, and submit annual reports to the state department. The staffing committee, which must include at least 50% direct patient care nurses, will be responsible for developing and annually updating the staffing plan, with the goal of promoting collaborative hospital practices and enhancing patient care quality. The bill defines a "nurse" as a licensed registered professional nurse providing direct patient care and applies these standards across various hospital departments, including emergency rooms, intensive care, labor and delivery, postpartum, operating rooms, oncology, and psychiatric units.

Health and Social Services

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC3225