BillTrack50 logo
Free Signup Login
Bill

Bill > H1958

MA H1958

MA H1958
Relative to patient safety

summary

Introduced
01/20/2015
In Committee
02/25/2016
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
07/31/2016

Introduced Session

189th General Court

Bill Summary

Relative to the maximum number of patients assigned to registered nurses or hospital care attendants. Public Health.

AI Summary

This bill establishes maximum patient assignments for registered nurses in various hospital units, aiming to improve patient safety by ensuring nurses are not overburdened. It defines "facility" as a licensed hospital or specific acute care units, and "nursing care" as the professional services provided by nurses. The bill sets specific patient-to-nurse ratios for different areas like step-down/intermediate care (3 patients), post-anesthesia care (1 under anesthesia, 2 post-anesthesia), operating rooms (1 under anesthesia, 2 post-anesthesia), emergency departments (ranging from 1 for critical unstable to 4 for non-urgent stable), maternal child care (varying based on labor, birth, postpartum, and newborn status), pediatrics (4), psychiatric (5), medical/surgical/telemetry (4), observational/outpatient (4), transitional care (5), and rehabilitation (5), with a default of 4 patients for any unlisted unit. Facilities must implement these limits without reducing overall staffing levels, and the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission will create regulations for implementation, including a patient acuity system that can lower these limits if a patient's condition requires more intensive care. The bill also clarifies that it does not override existing agreements that provide for fewer patients per nurse and allows for enforcement by the Attorney General with potential penalties, though these requirements are suspended during declared public health emergencies.

Committee Categories

Health and Social Services

Sponsors (76)

Denise Garlick (D)*,  Brian Ashe (D),  Ruth Balser (D),  Christine Barber (D),  Michael Brady (D),  Tony Cabral (D),  James Cantwell (D),  Gailanne Cariddi (D),  Tackey Chan (D),  Nick Collins (D),  Edward Coppinger (D),  Brendan Crighton (D),  Claire Cronin (D),  Daniel Cullinane (D),  Mark Cusack (D),  Josh Cutler (D),  Marjorie Decker (D),  Marcos Devers (D),  Geoffrey Diehl (R),  Stephen DiNatale (D),  Diana Dizoglio (D),  Dan Donahue (D),  Michelle DuBois (D),  James Dwyer (D),  Lori Ehrlich (D),  Jamie Eldridge (D),  Kim Ferguson (R),  Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D),  Michael Finn (D),  Bill Galvin (D),  Sean Garballey (D),  Carmine Gentile (D),  Thomas Golden (D),  Danielle Gregoire (D),  Kevin Honan (D),  Dan Hunt (D),  Louis Kafka (D),  Mary Keefe (D),  Peter Kocot (D),  Robert Koczera (D),  John Lawn (D),  David Linsky (D),  Jay Livingstone (D),  Timothy Madden (D),  John Mahoney (D),  Elizabeth Malia (D),  Brian Mannal (D),  Paul Mark (D),  Paul McMurtry (D),  Aaron Michlewitz (D),  Mike Moore (D),  Harold Naughton (D),  Jim O'Day (D),  Marc Pacheco (D),  Sarah Peake (D),  Denise Provost (D),  Angelo Puppolo (D),  Dave Rogers (D),  John Rogers (D),  Dennis Rosa (D),  Jeff Roy (D),  Mike Rush (D),  Danny Ryan (D),  Tom Sannicandro (D),  Frank Smizik (D),  Tom Stanley (D),  Ellen Story (D),  Benjamin Swan (D),  Walter Timilty (D),  Timothy Toomey (D),  Aaron Vega (D),  John Velis (D),  RoseLee Vincent (D),  Chris Walsh (D),  Daniel Wolf (D),  Jon Zlotnik (D), 

Last Action

Accompanied a study order, see H4635 (on 09/26/2016)
(6 Companion Bills)

bill text

bill summary

Loading...

bill summary

Loading...

bill summary

Document Type Source Location
State Bill Page https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/H1958
Bill https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/H1958.pdf
Loading...