Governor Now Has Chance to Strengthen State’s Landmark Patient Safety Law

August 2012

With the California State Senate’s action on August 27 to pass SB 1246, Governor Brown now has the opportunity to strengthen California’s first-in-the-nation nurse-to- patient ratios with a critical enforcement component that will ensure the law continues to improve patient care and save lives.

Help This Bill Become Law! Send an email to California Governor Jerry Brown asking him to sign SB 1246!
RN letter: http://bit.ly/OnSxnO
HCP letter: http://bit.ly/OrhDAH
General Public letter: http://bit.ly/Pk5AEY

SB 1246 will strengthen the existing nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in California Hospitals by requiring the Department of Public Health (DPH) to check for compliance during regular, periodic inspections and by putting into effect existing statutory fine authority for DPH by removing the requirement that DPH issue regulations. SB 1246 also codifies existing regulations relating to patient classification systems, allowing DPH to fine hospitals that have not established or utilized a patient classification system in their staffing. These systems have been a requirement long before nurse staffing ratios became law, but lacked an enforcement component.

A considerable body of academic literature indicates that complying with nurse ratios reduces complications and patient deaths. Enforcing the ratios will save lives and improve the health of patients. Read UNAC/UHCP's informational fact sheet about staffing ratios and Registered Nurse workload.

“Safe staffing saves lives,” said Dr. Hernandez, Chair of the Senate Health Committee. “My bill not only ensures that hospital regulators inspect for staffing levels, but provides the department with the tools to enforce the law when staffing levels are inadequate.” Read the article about UNAC/UHCP's lobbying efforts on behalf of the bill.