Establishes the Washington state patient safety act.

Requires the department of health to: (1) Conduct regular audits of hospital compliance with the act and investigate complaints of violations; and

(2) Maintain for public inspection records of certain civil penalties, administrative actions, or license suspensions or revocations.

Requires hospitals to: (1) Submit a staffing plan to the department of health on at least an annual basis;

(2) Implement the staffing plan and assign nursing personnel to each patient care unit in accordance with the plan; and

(3) Regularly collect information regarding nurse staffing and submit it to the department of health semiannually.

Requires a nurse staffing committee and a hospital to resolve any disputes concerning a staffing plan through arbitration if the staffing plan is not adopted by the hospital.

Prohibits registered nurses from being assigned to a nursing unit or clinical area unless the nurse has first received orientation in that clinical area.

Prohibits a hospital from penalizing a registered nurse for refusing to accept an assignment under certain circumstances.