Assembly Bill No. 313–Assemblywomen Giunchigliani
and Koivisto

 

CHAPTER..........

 

AN ACT relating to health care; directing the Legislative Committee on Health Care to appoint a subcommittee to conduct an interim study of staffing of the system for the delivery of health care in Nevada; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

    Whereas, Adequate levels of staffing of the system for the delivery of health care are among many of the components that help ensure the delivery of health care services in a manner that promotes proper care of patients and optimum outcomes; and

    Whereas, The availability of adequate nursing staff is paramount to the access to high quality health care services in Nevada; and

    Whereas, Appropriate staffing of the system for the delivery of health care helps ensure the quality of health care services provided to patients of the system for the delivery of health care in Nevada; now, therefore,

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

    Section 1. 1.  The Legislative Committee on Health Care

shall appoint a subcommittee to conduct an interim study

concerning staffing of the system for the delivery of health care in

Nevada. The interim study must include:

    (a) The use of established methods of analysis and technical

models developed by the National Center for Health Workforce

Analysis of the Bureau of Health Professions of the Health

Resources and Services Administration of the United States

Department of Health and Human Services and the Regional

Centers for Health Workforce Studies located in:

        (1) The University of California at San Francisco;

        (2) The University of Illinois at Chicago;

        (3) The State University of New York at Albany; and

        (4) The University of Washington.

    (b) A comprehensive evaluation of the current requirements in

Nevada for staffing of the system for the delivery of health care.

    (c) A comprehensive evaluation of the required methods of

recordkeeping by medical facilities or other organizations that

provide organized nursing services of statistics relating to staffing

and patient care.

    (d) The identification of conditions under which nurses may

refuse work assignments without jeopardizing the quality of patient

care.

    (e) A survey of the staffing of the system for the delivery of

health care in Nevada that is required by the Bureau of Licensure

and Certification of the Health Division of the Department of

Human Resources, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of

Healthcare Organizations and any other state or federal law

concerning medical facilities or other organizations that provide

organized nursing services.

    (f) A comprehensive evaluation of the practices of recruitment

and retention of staff that are used by medical facilities and other

organizations that provide organized nursing services in Nevada.

    (g) Recommendations regarding staffing of the system for the

delivery of health care in Nevada.

    (h) A comprehensive evaluation of any disaster or emergency

situations that would not be covered in any recommendations for the

staffing of the system for the delivery of health care.

    2.  Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, to satisfy

the objectives of the study, the subcommittee shall collaborate with

a statewide advisory group of persons consisting of one

representative appointed by each of the following:

    (a) The Nevada Nurses’ Association.

    (b) The Bureau of Licensure and Certification of the Health

Division of the Department of Human Resources.

    (c) The Nevada Hospital Association.

    (d) The State Board of Nursing.

    (e) The Nevada State Medical Association.

    (f) Two organizations that represent the interests of nursing

selected by the Chairman of the subcommittee.

    (g) The University and Community College System of Nevada.

    (h) The Nevada Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Partners of

the Nevada Office of Rural Health of the University of Nevada

School of Medicine.

    (i) The Nevada Area Health Education Center Program of the

Center for Education and Health Services Outreach of the

University of Nevada School of Medicine.

    (j) A qualified peer review organization that is governed by

Titles XI and XVIII of the Social Security Act.

    3.  The subcommittee appointed pursuant to this section shall

submit a report of its findings and any recommendations for

legislation to the Legislative Committee on Health Care on or before

June 1, 2004. The Legislative Committee on Health Care shall

submit the report of the subcommittee and any recommendations for

legislation on or before July 1, 2004, to the Director of the

Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the Legislative

Commission and the 73rd Session of the Nevada Legislature.

    4.  As used in this section, “system for the delivery of health

care” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 632.0195.

 

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