Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/1477982
PRECEDENT-SETTING LEGISLATION Staffing X California's first-in-the-nation, state-mandated RN-to-patient staffing ratios, which also prohibit the assignment of unlicensed personnel to perform nursing functions in lieu of an RN X State health department regulations requiring safe floating practices, competency validation, and patient classification systems X Extended RN-to-patient staffing ratios in the observation unit Health and Safety X Mandate for all hospitals to implement compre- hensive, unit-specific plans to prevent workplace violence and ensure a safe environment for nurses, other staff, patients, and visitors X Whistle-blower protection for health care providers who expose unsafe conditions X Mandatory safety devices on hospital needles X Requirement of all hospitals to have a safe patient handling policy, including lift teams trained to use proper equipment X Requirement that all hospitals create and maintain a three-month stockpile of new, unexpired N95 respirators, gowns, and other personal protective equipment Education X Additional $63 million for nurse education programs X Loan funding for minority student RNs X Scholarships and loans to RNs seeking a higher degree in nursing and committing to serve as RN educators X Requirement of nursing schools and programs to include implicit bias education as part of their curric- ulum, and hospitals to implement an evidence-based program on implicit bias as part of new graduate training X Additional $10 million for the Song-Brown RN education fund X Require an approved school of nursing or an approved nursing program to include implicit bias training X Expense or cost of any employer-provided or employer-required educational program or training for an employee providing direct patient care or an applicant for direct patient care must be incurred by the employer, not the employee or the applicant Public Sector X Prohibition of public employers from deterring or discouraging public employees from becoming or remaining members of an employee organization Scope of Practice X The ongoing protection of RN scope of practice — for example, CNA/NNU was successful in prohibiting LVNs from administering I.V. medications X Prohibition on phone advice by unlicensed staff to protect patients X Requirement that caregivers disclose credentials on name tags Patient Advocacy X Bar on discrimination based on medical conditions or genetic characteristics X Mandated patient advocate role of RNs in California's Nursing Practice Act X Requirement that health plans provide medically appropriate care Hospital Closures X Hospitals must provide 180 days' notice for closure if the hospital provides emergency medical services, 120 days' if the facility doesn't provide ER services and at least 90 days' notice prior to eliminating or relocating a supplemental service. The law also requires mandatory, continuous public notice 23 CNA/NNU 101 » The Organization HALLMARKS OF HEALTH AND SAFETY LEGISLATION X Requires health care employers to implement safe staffing as the key to every nurse health and safety program X Maintains clearly defined RN role and scope of practice X Bedside RN input and worker involvement in creating and evalu- ating employers' injury and illness prevention plans X Prohibits discrimination against workers for taking action or filing complaints X Stringent documenting and reporting requirements for employers X Requires effective, interactive, hands-on training