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Nurses push safe‑staffing bill; hospitals warn mandated ratios could reduce beds
Summary
Senate Bill 372 would create nurse staffing committees and set minimum nurse‑to‑patient ratios. Nurses and nursing associations testified in support, citing patient safety and burnout; hospital groups opposed, warning rigid mandates would exacerbate staffing shortages and force bed closures.
Senate Public Health Committee heard pro and con testimony on Senate Bill 372, which would establish minimum nurse‑to‑patient ratios, create nurse staffing committees, require reporting to DPHHS and prohibit mandatory overtime.
Senator Cora Newman, sponsor of SB 372, framed the bill as a patient‑safety measure, saying research ties higher nurse workloads to higher mortality and infection rates and that “reasonable nurse to patient ratios such as 4 non‑critical patients or 1 critical patient per nurse helps prevent…
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