Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires nurse-to-patient ratios in the state of Maine.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Maine Quality Care Act in order to ensure adequate direct-care registered nurse staffing assignments in health care facilities (Sec. 1. Ch. 404).

• Establishes minimum direct-care registered nurse staffing requirements based on patient care unit and patient needs (Sec. 1. Ch. 404).

• Specifies the method to calculate a health care facility's compliance with the staffing requirements (Sec. 1. Ch. 404).

• Requires protection for direct-care registered nurses from retaliation and includes notice, record-keeping and enforcement requirements (Sec. 1. Ch. 404).

• Limits the number of patients a nurse must take on in their daily assignments based on patient need and the severity of a patient’s condition (Sec. 1, Ch. 404).

• Requires health care facilities have nurse-to-patient ratios to be the least number of direct-care registerd at all times during every shift, and at no time shall fewer than 2 direct-care registered nurses be assigned in a patient care unit (Sec. 1, Ch. 404).

• Defines “health care facility” as a hospital licenced under chapter 405, a freestanding emergency department or an ambulatory surgical facility licened under chapter 405 (Sec. 1, Ch. 404).

• Defines “ patient care unit” as any are of a health care facility in which a patient recieves care (Sec. 1, Ch. 404).

Full Bill Text