Bill > S739

This bill, titled the National Nursing Shortage Reform and Patient Advocacy Act, aims to improve patient care by establishing minimum direct care registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratio requirements in hospitals. It mandates that hospitals implement a staffing plan that ensures adequate healthcare delivery and patient safety, with specific ratios for different hospital units, such as one patient per nurse in trauma emergency units and up to six patients per nurse in well-baby nursery units. The bill prohibits averaging patient and nurse counts to meet these ratios and forbids mandatory overtime to comply, while ensuring that only registered nurses can cover breaks for other registered nurses. It also includes provisions for developing a national acuity tool to help determine appropriate staffing levels beyond the minimums, requires hospitals to post actual staffing ratios, maintain records, and be subject to audits. Furthermore, the bill establishes minimum staffing requirements for licensed practical nurses, allows nurses to refuse assignments that compromise patient safety or their license, and protects nurses from retaliation for refusing such assignments or for reporting violations. It also includes mechanisms for filing complaints, imposing penalties for violations, and adjusting Medicare reimbursement to account for compliance costs, while also authorizing scholarship and grant programs to support the nursing workforce.