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Senate Bill 476 |
Senate Author: Nelson et al. |
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Effective: 9-1-09 |
House Sponsor: Howard, Donna et al. |
Senate Bill 476 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the governing body of a hospital to adopt, implement, and enforce a written nurse staffing policy to ensure that an adequate number and skill mix of nurses are available to meet the level of patient care needed and sets forth the requirements and standards for such a policy. The bill requires a hospital to establish a nurse staffing committee as a standing committee of the hospital and sets forth the composition, duties, and responsibilities of the committee. The bill requires a hospital to report annually certain information relating to the committee and its findings and recommendations to the Department of State Health Services.
Senate Bill 476 prohibits a hospital from requiring nurses to work mandatory overtime, as defined by the bill, except in certain emergencies; authorizes a nurse to refuse to work overtime; provides that such a refusal does not constitute patient abandonment or neglect; and prohibits a hospital from retaliating against a nurse who refuses to work mandatory overtime.