New legislation has been introduced by Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) that would provide whistleblower protection for nurses who speak out for enforcement of safe staffing standards and establish a federal minimum standard in all hospitals for direct care registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratios, according to a news release from Rep. Schakowsky.
The "Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2011" would also require the HHS to consider staffing requirements for licensed practical nurses and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to recommend any changes in additional reimbursement needed due to the requirements of the bill.
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"Nurses are overworked and hospitals are understaffed, leading to disastrous results for patients everywhere," said Rep. Schakowsky, in the release. "By creating a workplace in which nurses are asked to do the impossible, we drive nurses away and jeopardize the quality of patient care. The bill is a common-sense solution to improve the quality of patient care and address the nursing crisis in our hospitals."
Read the release from Rep. Jan Schakowsky about the Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2011.
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