Bill > H4112

This bill proposes to establish a Patient Safety Act that would limit the number of patients that can be assigned to a registered nurse in Massachusetts hospitals and certain other healthcare facilities. The key provisions include: - Defining maximum patient assignment limits for different types of units and levels of care, ranging from 1 critical care patient per nurse to 6 postpartum patients or well-babies per nurse. - Requiring facilities to develop patient acuity tools to determine if lower patient limits should apply based on patient conditions. - Prohibiting facilities from reducing staffing levels to comply with the patient limits. - Authorizing the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission to enforce the law, including through inspections and civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation. - Protecting employees from discipline or retaliation for complying with the patient limits. - Suspending the requirements during a declared public health emergency. The bill aims to improve patient safety and hospital transparency by setting enforceable patient assignment standards.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/H4112