Nation-leading nurse staffing bill clears House

Dawn Morrell bill unites hospitals, nurses

February 15, 2008

OLYMPIA—The House voted 93 to 1 today to make Washington the first state in the nation to require all hospitals to work with nurses to create safe staffing levels.

The safe staffing legislation directs every hospital in the state—including the state hospitals for the mentally ill—to set up nurse staffing committees where hospital officials and nurses work together to determine appropriate staffing levels based on patient needs.

“Nurses need to be part of staffing decisions that directly impact their ability to provide the highest quality care to patients,” said state Rep. Dawn Morrell, D-Puyallup, the prime sponsor of the measure that passed today. “Study after study shows that good decisions about nurse staffing levels can reduce errors and save lives while improving the ability of hospitals to retain experienced nurses.”

Morrell works as a critical care nurse at Puyallup’s Good Samaritan Hospital and serves as Vice Chair of the House Health Care Committee.

Under terms of the legislation, at least half of the members of the nurse staffing committees must be registered nurses who provide direct patient care. Staffing plans must consider such factors as the number of patients and the severity of their conditions and the experience and training of nursing personnel. They may also take hospital finances into account.

Once nurse staffing plans are set, they must be posted along with the actual nurse staffing schedule in a public area in each patient care unit.

Morrell’s legislation, House Bill 3123, reflects an historic agreement signed on Feb. 4 by the Washington State Hospital Association and leading organizations of nurses, including the Washington State Nurses Association and SEIU Healthcare 1199NW.

“I am extremely grateful to Gov. Chris Gregoire and the William D. Ruckelshaus Center for their role in securing this landmark agreement,” Morrell said. “We are truly making Washington a model for other states to follow.”