Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB1342
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Full Text of SB1342  97th General Assembly

SB1342enr 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  
  
  

 


 
SB1342 EnrolledLRB097 09335 RPM 49470 b

1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Hospital Licensing Act is amended by
5changing Section 10.10 as follows:
 
6    (210 ILCS 85/10.10)
7    Sec. 10.10. Nurse Staffing by Patient Acuity.
8    (a) Findings. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
9following:
10        (1) The State of Illinois has a substantial interest in
11    promoting quality care and improving the delivery of health
12    care services.
13        (2) Evidence-based studies have shown that the basic
14    principles of staffing in the acute care setting should be
15    based on the complexity of patients' care needs aligned
16    with available nursing skills to promote quality patient
17    care consistent with professional nursing standards.
18        (3) Compliance with this Section promotes an
19    organizational climate that values registered nurses'
20    input in meeting the health care needs of hospital
21    patients.
22    (b) Definitions. As used in this Section:
23    "Acuity model" means an assessment tool selected and

 

 

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1implemented by a hospital, as recommended by a nursing care
2committee, that assesses the complexity of patient care needs
3requiring professional nursing care and skills and aligns
4patient care needs and nursing skills consistent with
5professional nursing standards.
6    "Department" means the Department of Public Health.
7    "Direct patient care" means care provided by a registered
8professional nurse with direct responsibility to oversee or
9carry out medical regimens or nursing care for one or more
10patients.
11    "Nursing care committee" means an existing or newly created
12hospital-wide committee or committees of nurses whose
13functions, in part or in whole, contribute to the development,
14recommendation, and review of the hospital's nurse staffing
15plan established pursuant to subsection (d).
16    "Registered professional nurse" means a person licensed as
17a Registered Nurse under the Nurse Practice Act.
18    "Written staffing plan for nursing care services" means a
19written plan for guiding the assignment of patient care nursing
20staff based on multiple nurse and patient considerations that
21yield minimum staffing levels for inpatient care units and the
22adopted acuity model aligning patient care needs with nursing
23skills required for quality patient care consistent with
24professional nursing standards.
25    (c) Written staffing plan.
26        (1) Every hospital shall implement a written

 

 

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1    hospital-wide staffing plan, recommended by a nursing care
2    committee or committees, that provides for minimum direct
3    care professional registered nurse-to-patient staffing
4    needs for each inpatient care unit. The written
5    hospital-wide staffing plan shall include, but need not be
6    limited to, the following considerations:
7            (A) The complexity of complete care, assessment on
8        patient admission, volume of patient admissions,
9        discharges and transfers, evaluation of the progress
10        of a patient's problems, ongoing physical assessments,
11        planning for a patient's discharge, assessment after a
12        change in patient condition, and assessment of the need
13        for patient referrals.
14            (B) The complexity of clinical professional
15        nursing judgment needed to design and implement a
16        patient's nursing care plan, the need for specialized
17        equipment and technology, the skill mix of other
18        personnel providing or supporting direct patient care,
19        and involvement in quality improvement activities,
20        professional preparation, and experience.
21            (C) Patient acuity and the number of patients for
22        whom care is being provided.
23            (D) The ongoing assessments of a unit's patient
24        acuity levels and nursing staff needed shall be
25        routinely made by the unit nurse manager or his or her
26        designee.

 

 

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1            (E) The identification of additional registered
2        nurses available for direct patient care when
3        patients' unexpected needs exceed the planned workload
4        for direct care staff.
5        (2) In order to provide staffing flexibility to meet
6    patient needs, every hospital shall identify an acuity
7    model for adjusting the staffing plan for each inpatient
8    care unit.
9        (3) The written staffing plan shall be posted in a
10    conspicuous and accessible location for both patients and
11    direct care staff, as required under the Hospital Report
12    Card Act. A copy of the written staffing plan shall be
13    provided to any member of the general public upon request.
14    (d) Nursing care committee.
15        (1) Every hospital shall have a nursing care committee.
16    A hospital shall appoint members of a committee whereby at
17    least 50% of the members are registered professional nurses
18    providing direct patient care.
19        (2) A nursing care committee's recommendations must be
20    given significant regard and weight in the hospital's
21    adoption and implementation of a written staffing plan.
22        (3) A nursing care committee or committees shall
23    recommend a written staffing plan for the hospital based on
24    the principles from the staffing components set forth in
25    subsection (c). In particular, a committee or committees
26    shall provide input and feedback on the following:

 

 

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1            (A) Selection, implementation, and evaluation of
2        minimum staffing levels for inpatient care units.
3            (B) Selection, implementation, and evaluation of
4        an acuity model to provide staffing flexibility that
5        aligns changing patient acuity with nursing skills
6        required.
7            (C) Selection, implementation, and evaluation of a
8        written staffing plan incorporating the items
9        described in subdivisions (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this
10        Section.
11            (D) Review the following: nurse-to-patient
12        staffing guidelines for all inpatient areas; and
13        current acuity tools and measures in use.
14        (4) A nursing care committee must address the items
15    described in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of paragraph (3)
16    semi-annually.
17    (e) Nothing is this Section 10.10 shall be construed to
18limit, alter, or modify any of the terms, conditions, or
19provisions of a collective bargaining agreement entered into by
20the hospital.
21(Source: P.A. 95-401, eff. 1-1-08; 96-328, eff. 8-11-09.)