- Safe Patient Limits for Hospitals
- 4.1 for Nursing Homes
- What You Can Do
- Other News in Improving Workplace Safety
1. Safe Patient Limits for Hospitals
As of today, 24 out of 50 Senators have signed on to cosponsor Senate Bill 450 for safe patient limits in PA’s hospitals, and 87 out of 203 Representatives have signed onto House Bill 867.
While this bill has gained historic levels of support, and study after study shows it would save patients’ lives, half of the Senate Health Committee members still do not support it, and they haven’t even scheduled a hearing for the bill.
This matters because neither bill can get to a vote until they move out of the House or Senate’s Health Committees. We think we may be able to get the votes for the legislation to pass, if the bill got the chance to be heard, debated, and voted on.
Our task is clear: We need to focus on getting the Health Committee members not yet supporting the legislation to sign on and commit to hold a hearing. Because we are closer to a majority of support in the Senate and in the Senate Health Committee, we are focusing our energy on the Senate Health Committee.
2. 4.1 for Nursing Homes
Earlier this year, we launched our call for Pennsylvania to raise the Safe Staffing Standard for nursing homes from today’s required 2.7 hours of direct care per resident per 24 hours to 4.1 hours, as experts and caregivers have recommended for many years. We’ve been calling for this to happen through an adjustment in the existing regulations, which haven’t been updated in over a decade, and through legislative action to require Medicaid funding increases go directly to the bedside, for nursing homes to hire more staff and ensure we can recruit and retain caregivers by increasing wages, providing affordable healthcare, and increasing training.
Now, we have an incredible opportunity: For the first time since 1976, Governor Wolf’s administration is reviewing the long-term care regulations, including staffing regulations.
3. What You Can Do
Here’s a few things you can do to help keep us moving forward in our fight:
- We need to grow our movement. The biggest way you can help do that is by getting more people to sign our petition for safe patient limits at NursesOfPA.org/Petition.
- We need to encourage Gov. Wolf to take bold action on safe patient limits. Click here to write a letter to Gov. Wolf.
- We need to pressure the Senate Health Committee. Join one of our upcoming petition deliveries to key Senators who are holding us back.
4. Other News in Improving Workplace Safety
Last week, PA House unanimously passed a bill (House Bill 1880) that removes the requirement for last names to be displayed on ID badges for healthcare workers. This is an important step to protect the safety and privacy of caregivers across the state!
In recent years, serious incidents of workplace violence were on average four times more likely in healthcare than in any other industry. Current ID requirements that include healthcare worker’s photo and full name has made it possible for ill-intentioned individuals to stalk, harass and attack workers.
Next up: This bill needs to pass the Senate! Please call your State Senator and ask them to vote yes on House Bill 1880.
While the welcome message still talks about safe patient limits, you can also use our Senate Hotline to be connected with your Senator & ask their support for House Bill 1880: ????➡️ 855-410-1936
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