HOUSE BILL REPORT

ESHB 1714

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Passed House:

March 7, 2017

Title: An act relating to nursing staffing practices at hospitals.

Brief Description: Concerning nursing staffing practices at hospitals.

Sponsors: House Committee on Health Care & Wellness (originally sponsored by Representatives Cody, Doglio, Ryu, Pollet, Peterson, McBride, Wylie, Stonier, Goodman, Sawyer, Bergquist, Gregerson, Sullivan, Lytton, Tharinger, Chapman, Lovick, Senn, Hansen, Sells, Frame, Fitzgibbon, Riccelli, Macri, Jinkins, Dolan, Stanford, Orwall, Ortiz-Self, Farrell, Slatter, Tarleton, Clibborn, Fey, Kilduff, Reeves, Pettigrew, Appleton, Robinson, Blake, Ormsby, Pellicciotti, Kloba, Hudgins and Santos).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Health Care & Wellness: 2/7/17, 2/17/17 [DPS];

Appropriations: 2/23/17, 2/24/17 [DPS(HCW)].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 3/7/17, 61-36.

Brief Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill

  • Requires all hospitals to implement nurse staffing plans beginning January 1, 2019.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE & WELLNESS

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Cody, Chair; Macri, Vice Chair; Clibborn, Jinkins, Riccelli, Robinson, Slatter, Stonier and Tharinger.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 7 members: Representatives Schmick, Ranking Minority Member; Graves, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Caldier, Harris, MacEwen, Maycumber and Rodne.

Minority Report: Without recommendation. Signed by 1 member: Representative DeBolt.

Staff: Jim Morishima (786-7191).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report: The substitute bill by Committee on Health Care & Wellness be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 26 members: Representatives Ormsby, Chair; Robinson, Vice Chair; Stokesbary, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bergquist, Caldier, Cody, Fitzgibbon, Hansen, Harris, Hudgins, Jinkins, Kagi, Lytton, Manweller, Pettigrew, Pollet, Sawyer, Schmick, Senn, Springer, Stanford, Sullivan, Tharinger, Vick, Volz and Wilcox.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 5 members: Representatives Chandler, Ranking Minority Member; MacEwen, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Buys, Haler and Taylor.

Minority Report: Without recommendation. Signed by 1 member: Representative Nealey.

Staff: Linda Merelle (786-7092).

Background:

Hospitals must establish nurse staffing committees to develop and oversee an annual patient care unit and shift-based nurse staffing plan (nurse staffing plan); conduct a semiannual review of the nurse staffing plan; and review, assess, and respond to staffing concerns. Hospital finances may be taken into account in the development of a nurse staffing plan. A nurse staffing plan must consider such factors as:

If the chief executive officer of the hospital does not approve the nurse staffing committee's plan, he or she must provide a written explanation to the committee. The hospital may not retaliate against employees performing duties in connection with the nurse staffing committee or an individual who notifies the nurse staffing committee or the hospital administration about concerns on nurse staffing.

Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill:

The duties of a nurse staffing committee are expanded to include the review, assessment, and response to staffing variations. The factors that must be considered in developing a nurse staffing plan are expanded to include:

If a hospital does not adopt a nurse staffing committee's staffing plan, the chief executive officer of the hospital must either identify the elements of the plan being changed or prepare an alternative plan that will be adopted by the hospital. Beginning January 1, 2019, a hospital must implement its nurse staffing plan and assign nursing personnel to patient care units according to the plan. The hospital must submit its adopted nurse staffing plans to the Department of Health (DOH) annually and whenever the plan is updated.

A nurse may report to the staffing committee any variations where the nurse personnel assignment in a patient care unit is not in accord with the adopted staffing plan and may make a complaint to the committee based on the variations. Shift-to-shift adjustments in staffing levels required by the plan may be made by the appropriate hospital personnel overseeing patient care operations only after consultation with at least one impacted registered nurse utilizing procedures specified by the committee. If a nurse on a patient care unit objects to a shift-to-shift adjustment, the registered nurse may submit the complaint to the committee. The committee must develop a process to examine and respond to these data, including the ability to determine if a specific complaint is resolved or dismissing a complaint based on unsubstantiated data.

The DOH must investigate a complaint for a violation of nurse staffing committee or nurse staffing plan requirements if the complaint has documented evidence of failure to:

"Unforeseeable emergency circumstance" is defined as:

If the DOH finds there has been a violation, the hospital must submit a corrective plan of action to the DOH of the presentation of findings to the hospital. Failure to submit or to follow a corrective plan of action may result in fines of $100 per day for all violations asserted against the hospital at any time until the hospital submits or begins to follow a corrective plan of action or takes other action agreed to by the DOH. The DOH must maintain for public inspection records of any civil penalties, administrative actions, or license suspensions or revocations imposed on hospitals for these purposes.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Health Care & Wellness):

(In support) Inadequate nurse staffing can cost patient lives through inadequate care and medical errors. Safe working conditions are linked to better patient care and lower costs. Nurse staffing committees, nurse staffing plans, and collective bargaining have not led to measurable changes in how staffing is developed. Nurses have experienced frustration with nurse staffing committees, which have not be sustained over time. Implementation of nurse staffing plans is inconsistent. Nurse staffing plans must be implemented. Hospitals are often administered by entities in other states, who make decisions on patient care remotely. A statewide regulatory plan is necessary. The current law does not have enough teeth. Nurse staffing ratios have worked in California. This bill is good for patients, nurses, and hospitals.

(Opposed) Hospitals are committed to patient safety and have worked with nurses to find a collaborative solution through the nurse staffing committees. Washington is not like California. Washington is a frontrunner in patient safety. A one-size-fits-all solution will not work for hospitals. For example, small hospitals in rural communities face different challenges than large hospitals in urban communities. Hospitals must use providers at the top of their licenses and must balance staff satisfaction in order to retain staff. This bill will limit a hospital's ability to provide nimble solutions to complicated problems. Minimum staffing ratios may cause hospitals to turn patients away. To improve patient care, a full complement of staff is necessary, not just minimum staff ratios.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Appropriations):

(In support) This legislation is critical for patient safety. The estimated number of complaints described in the fiscal note is far greater than the actual experience in Washington, and the fiscal impacts regarding the complaints will be negligible. This bill is a reasonable compromise; it is a small step towards patient safety. To date, there have only been six complaints regarding how nurses are staffed.

(Opposed) None.

(Other) The language in the bill is workable, and further discussions would be helpful. It is not clear which elements of nursing plans are subject to the complaints process. Additional clarity on that point is needed.

Persons Testifying (Health Care & Wellness): (In support) Cindy Clark, Service Employees International Union Healthcare 1199NW; Daniel O'Tool and Ann Tan Piazza, Washington State Nursing Association; Jeanette Moore, United Food and Commercial Workers; and Chris Barton, Service Employees International Union Nurse Alliance.

(Opposed) Lisa Thatcher, Washington State Hospital Association; Melissa Strong, Mason General Hospital; and Alison Bradywood, Virginia Mason Hospital.

Persons Testifying (Appropriations): (In support) Lindsay Grad, Service Employees International Union Healthcare 1199 Northwest; and Melissa Johnson, Washington State Nurses Association.

(Other) Lisa Thatcher, Washington State Hospital Association.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (Health Care & Wellness): None.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (Appropriations): None.