Bill > HB535

This bill establishes comprehensive requirements for hospital-wide nursing care committees and nursing staffing plans in Ohio hospitals. The legislation mandates that each hospital create a nursing care committee with at least 51% of members being registered nurses who provide direct patient care, and allows for collective bargaining representatives to select a majority of those nurse members. The committee must develop a two-year nursing services staffing plan that considers factors like patient complexity, acuity, and staffing needs, and sets unit-specific minimum staffing levels using either fixed nurse-to-patient ratios or ratio ranges. Hospitals must make a diligent effort to adhere to these staffing plans at least 80% of the time during normal operations and 60% during public health emergencies. The bill also requires hospitals to submit quarterly compliance reports to the state health department, which will be made publicly available online. If a hospital fails to meet staffing requirements, it may be subject to an audit and fines. Additionally, the bill creates an incentive program through the workers' compensation system that offers premium rate discounts to hospitals that consistently meet their staffing plan requirements.

Health and Social Services

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb535