SAFE PATIENT CARE ACT | Save Lives | Support Nurses
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What would MNA's Safe Patient Care Act do?

Safe staffing in every Michigan hospital
​(RN-to-patient ratios)

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Placing safe limits on forced overtime for hospital nurses

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Hospital transparency (making RN-to-patient ratios public)

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Safe staffing (ratios) in the Safe Patient Care Act

 Under this legislation:​
  • Minimum safe RN staffing, based on national evidence-based standards, by unit
  • Hospital must post information about the law and inform patients about how to report violations.​
  • ​Additional time for rural hospitals to comply.
  • Fines for non-compliance, to create true accountability
  • The ratios in the legislation are as follows (registered nurse: maximum patients):
    • Emergency department 1:3 plus one RN for triage
    • Medical-surgical 1:4
    • Pediatrics 1:3
    • Behavioral health 1:4
    • Acute rehabilitation 1:4
    • Intensive care (all units) 1:1
    • Post-anesthesia 1:1
    • Stepdown 1:3
    • Telemetry 1:3
    • Operating room 1:1 plus one scrub assistant
    • Labor and delivery
      • 1:3 Antepartum
      • 1:1 Active labor; during birth (1 RN for birthing patient, 1 RN for baby); Immediate postpartum couplet; unstable newborn; medical/obstetric complications (epidural, c-section); patient receiving conscious sedation
      • 1:2 Antepartum if continuous fetal monitoring is required; intermediate care newborn; postpartum/ postsurgical patient-baby couplet
      • 1:4 Postpartum birthing patient or well-baby care
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Limiting forced RN overtime in the
​
Safe Patient Care Act

Under this legislation:
  • Nurses can’t be ordered to work longer than scheduled.
  • RNs can still volunteer for overtime, if any is needed, if they know they can provide safe care.
  • RNs must have 8 continuous hours off after a shift of 12 hours or more, to rest.
  • Nurses are protected from discipline, firing or losing their license if they refuse unplanned extended shifts.
  • The limits will be suspended during emergency situations or when a nurse is in the middle of a critical patient procedure.
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Hospital transparency in the
​
Safe Patient Care Act

Under this legislation hospitals must disclose to the public their actual RN-to-patient ratios, which are closely tied to patient outcomes, so consumers can make informed choices and everyone has real data to evaluate. There is currently no law requiring this transparency.
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Contact us
If you have any questions or want to get involved, ​please contact Dawn Kettinger at the Michigan Nurses Association.

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Michigan Nurses Association
​2310 Jolly Oak Road
​Okemos, MI 48864
517.349-5640  -  ​888.MINURSE
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