Gov. Blagojevich signs law requiring nurse staffing plans in hospitals

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today signed a new law mandating staffing plans to help make sure hospitals maintain appropriate nursing care for all Illinois patients. Senate Bill 867 requires hospitals to have hospital-wide staffing plans that outline the minimum nurse-to-patient staffing needs for each inpatient care unit. The measure was sponsored by Senator Carol Ronen (D-Chicago) and Representative Esther Golar (D-Chicago).

 

"Hospital patients depend on good nurses to help them get better. We need to make sure that enough nurses with the right expertise are working at any given time," said Gov. Blagojevich.  "This law will help ensure that skilled nurses are available around the clock."

 

Because care situations vary depending on the illness of the patients and the size of the facilities, the plans mandated by SB 867 must be flexible and be developed by health care providers as well as administrators. In preparing the plans, staff must consider the volume of patients, the complexity of care needed for patients in each unit, the number of referrals needed for patients, the need for special equipment and technology when establishing how many nurses are necessary for each shift. 

 

The staffing plans must also determine how many nurses at specific expertise and skill levels should be assigned to each inpatient care unit. These plans must include the identification of additional registered nurses available for patient care when unexpected needs exceed the nursing staffing plan. The written staffing plan must be posted in a location easily accessible to patients and staff. 

 

"Nurses deserve to know what to expect when they report for their shifts.  A well-considered staffing plan developed for and by their peers will make it easier for each nurse to provide the level of care each patient needs," said Sen. Ronen.  "This measure also gives hospitals the flexibility they need to change staffing levels as necessary to meet special challenges."

 

"Staffing by patient acuity, with involvement of direct care nurses who really know the patient's needs, is what the Illinois Nurses Association has been advocating for since the mid-90's.  We believe this bill will improve the quality of patient care by giving front-line nurses a voice in determining safe, adequate nurse staffing levels.  And having adequate numbers of nurses gives nurses the time to do what we do best....provide personalized patient care.  More nurses will stay in the profession if they are empowered to do the care they love to do," said Pam Robbins, 2nd Vice-President, INA.

 

"We need to make sure that patients get the best possible care when they are in the hospital.  This law requires proper planning and coordination to ensure there will be the right number of nurses on each shift," said Rep. Golar.

 

The information gathered from the development of staffing plans will also benefit educators and community health planners who are charged with developing mid- and long-range plans for community health care.  By knowing what current needs are, they can work to retain, recruit or train enough nurses with the right skills to maintain high quality health care.   Consistent staffing plans will also encourage retention of nurses currently working in hospitals by improving the work environment and increasing job satisfaction. 

 

The number of potential caregivers, including nurses, is projected to decrease 4.2 percent between 2000 and 2020, while the number of those who need care is projected to increase by 31 percent. All told, by 2020 Illinois could be facing a shortage of over 21,000 nurses. According to region-by-region numbers put together by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), the state currently has a nursing shortage of 7 percent (vacancies vs. jobs filled) and that shortage is projected to grow to almost 8,000 registered nurses and 1,200 licensed practical nurses (per year, projected through 2010). 

 

SB 867 is effective on January 1, 2008.

 

Since 2003, Gov. Blagojevich has signed several important measures to meet the need for more nurses in Illinois.  Some of those measures include: