The Hospital Patient Safety Act requires all hospitals in New Mexico to establish staffing committees dedicated to developing and implementing staffing plans that prioritize patient safety. The bill introduces new definitions for terms such as "critical care unit," "direct care nursing staff," and "patient classification system," which will guide the committees' operations. Each hospital must form a nursing staffing committee, a professional and technical staffing committee, and a service staffing committee, with a majority of members being direct care staff. These committees are tasked with creating written staffing plans that meet safety standards and must meet regularly to ensure compliance.

Beginning January 1, 2026, hospitals will be required to submit their nursing staffing plans to the relevant department as a condition of licensing, including minimum staffing ratios for various units. The bill specifies that in emergency departments, a direct care registered nurse should not be assigned to more than one trauma patient and should average no more than one nurse for every four patients over a twelve-hour shift. Hospitals must also post their approved staffing plans in accessible areas and on their websites, while the Department will establish rules for reporting and investigating violations. Exemptions from staffing plans may be granted during emergencies, and rural or critical access hospitals can receive waivers if they demonstrate efforts to secure adequate staffing.