Bill > HB521

This bill enacts the Ohio Nurse Workforce and Safe Patient Act, which establishes comprehensive regulations for hospital nurse staffing and creates a Nursing Student Loan-to-Grant Program. The bill requires hospitals to develop detailed nurse staffing plans that protect patient safety, including establishing nurse staffing committees composed primarily of direct-care registered nurses who will help develop and approve staffing plans. The legislation mandates specific nurse-to-patient ratios for different hospital units, ranging from one patient in a trauma emergency unit to up to six patients in a postpartum or well-baby nursery. The bill also creates a financial incentive program for nursing students, offering up to $3,000 per year for a maximum of four years, with the loan converting to a grant if the student commits to working as a direct-care registered nurse in a hospital, nursing home, or as a nursing faculty member for five years. Additionally, the bill provides robust protections for nurses, allowing them to refuse assignments that they believe compromise patient safety, and establishes penalties for hospitals that fail to comply with the new staffing requirements, including fines up to $50,000 for repeated violations. The legislation aims to address nursing workforce shortages, improve patient care, and support nursing education by creating financial incentives and establishing clear professional standards for hospital staffing.

Health and Social Services

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb521