The Florida Patient Protection Act aims to improve patient care standards in health care facilities by establishing minimum staffing levels for direct care registered nurses. It introduces a new section in the Florida Statutes, section 395.1013, which emphasizes the necessity of adequate nursing staff for optimal health outcomes. The bill mandates that health care facilities create staffing plans that adhere to specific nurse-to-patient ratios based on the type of unit, ensuring that patients are only placed in units that meet these standards. It also prohibits the use of video cameras or monitors as substitutes for direct observation by registered nurses, with certain exemptions during declared states of emergency.

Additionally, the bill includes whistle-blower protections, allowing individuals to take legal action against health care facilities for unsafe patient conditions and prohibiting retaliation against those who report such issues. It specifies that only direct care registered nurses may relieve other nurses during breaks and outlines specific nurse-to-patient ratios for critical areas, such as one nurse for every two infants in intensive care newborn nursery units. The legislation also states that collective bargaining agreements will take precedence over the staffing ratios unless they provide for a lower patient-to-nurse ratio. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2026.