Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2015

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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 114th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

D SchakowskySponsor

42 cosponsors · 42 D

0 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2015

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Mar 25, 2015

Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2015

Amends the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to implement and submit to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) a staffing plan that complies with specified minimum nurse-to-patient ratios by unit. Requires HHS to develop a transparent method for establishing nurse staffing requirements above minimum ratios.

Directs HHS to adjust Medicare payments to hospitals to cover additional costs incurred in providing services to Medicare beneficiaries that are attributable to compliance with such ratios.

Allows a nurse to object to, or refuse to participate in, any assignment if it would violate minimum ratios or if the nurse is not prepared by education or experience to fulfill the assignment without compromising the safety of a patient or jeopardizing the nurse's license. Prohibits a hospital from: (1) taking specified actions against a nurse based on the nurse's refusal to accept an assignment for such a reason; or (2) discriminating against any individual for good faith complaints relating to the care, services, or conditions of the hospital or of any related facilities.

Adds stipends to the nurse workforce loan repayment and scholarship program. Expands the nurse retention grant program to authorize programs to implement nurse preceptorship and mentorship projects.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2015

Latest action (Apr 7, 2015): Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Policy area: Health · Origin: House · Introduced: Mar 25, 2015

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.