US Rep. LaTourette introduces nurse staffing bill

Federal legislation that would regulate nurse staffing level has been co-introduced by U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette (R-Bainbridge Township) (Source: “Legislation aims to improve patient care,” (Willoughby) News-Herald, July 2, 2010).

The Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act of 2010, HR 5527, would require health care facilities to work with nursing staff to implement a system to ensure appropriate nurse staffing levels. The legislation would help health care facilities reach safe nurse staffing levels, so nurses do not handle too many patients and are not worked to the point of exhaustion, said LaTourette, who co-chairs the U.S. House of Representatives Nursing Caucus.

"Our nurses do a Herculean job and they juggle many patients and tasks and provide excellent care," he said. "We have to be more diligent to make sure nurses are not overextended and leave the field from unsustainable working conditions and stress."