The Ohio Nurse Workforce and Safe Patient Act seeks to improve patient safety and nursing workforce retention by mandating hospitals to develop and implement registered nurse staffing plans. The bill establishes nurse staffing committees, which must consist of a majority of direct care registered nurses, responsible for creating and approving these plans. Hospitals are required to publicly post their staffing plans and adhere to specific nurse-to-patient ratios, with the flexibility to adjust these ratios during public health emergencies. Additionally, the legislation emphasizes the rights of nurses to refuse participation in activities that may compromise patient safety and prohibits retaliation against them for exercising this right.

The bill also introduces a Nursing Student Loan-to-Grant Program, providing financial assistance to nursing students in approved prelicensure programs, which converts to a grant after a five-year service obligation in designated healthcare settings. It allocates $10,000,000 for this program and mandates the transfer of $20,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to support it. The Director of Health is tasked with ensuring compliance with staffing regulations and conducting audits, while the Director of Budget and Management must create accounts detailing the funding sources for the appropriations made under this act. Overall, the legislation aims to enhance nursing education and improve healthcare delivery in Ohio.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 3333.28, 3722.01, 4723.489, 4730.203, 4772.092, 3727.50, 3727.51, 3727.52, 3727.53, 3727.54, 3727.55, 3727.56, 3727.57