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Nurse Staffing

The Oregon nurse staffing law was created to ensure that every Oregonian receives safe nursing care through appropriate nurse staffing levels when hospitalized in an acute care hospital. The Oregon Nurse Staffing Collaborative (ONSC) was formed to provide a safe table where nurses share best practices, evaluate staffing challenges and opportunities, and create new methods of nurse staffing that strengthen the partnership between nurses, patients and families and other health care team members.
 

Nurse Staffing Law

In 2015, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill (SB) 469. The Legislature considered input from the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) and the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (OAHHS). The intent of the law was to continue to refine and improve Oregon’s nurse staffing laws. SB 469 made the following changes to Oregon’s nurse staffing laws:
  • Clarified that hospitals must implement the nurse staffing plans approved by their respective HNSCs.
  • Amended language to clarify that nursing staff members could not be required to work more than 12 hours in total during any 24-hour period.
  • Mandated the composition and record-keeping requirements of HNSCs.
  • Provided additional factors for HNSCs to consider when creating nurse staffing plans.
  • Defined a mediation process to for use when a HNSC reaches an impasse.
  • Created a 12-member statewide NSAB.
  • Defined specific timelines for nurse staffing complaint investigations.
  • ​Increased the frequency of standard nurse staffing surveys from once every 13 years to once every three years.
  • ​Required follow-up evaluations of deficiencies found in standard surveys and complaint investigations.
  • ​Expanded hospital record-keeping requirements.
  • ​Clarified OHA posting requirements for public records related to nurse staffing.

Resources

  • SB 469 (2015): Oregon's Nurse Staffing Law
  • ORS 441.152-441.192: Oregon’s Nurse Staffing Rules
  • OHA Nurse Staffing Website
  • OHA Nurse Staffing Plan of Correction Guidance
  • OHA Nurse Staffing Sample Tool Kit​

Oregon Nurse Staffing Collaborative

The Oregon nurse staffing law was created to ensure that every Oregonian receives safe nursing care through appropriate nurse staffing levels when hospitalized in an acute care hospital. The Oregon Nurse Staffing Collaborative (ONSC) was formed to provide a safe table where nurses share best practices, evaluate staffing challenges and opportunities, and create new methods of nurse staffing that strengthen the partnership between nurses, patients and families and other health care team members
 
To contact someone about your login or to be added to ONSC & listserv: Please email your request to info@oahhs.org with "ONSC & Listserv" in the subject field.
 
For more information about the Oregon Nurse Staffing Collaborative, contact Danielle Meyer at dmeyer@oahhs.org.

Nurse Advisory Committee

The Nurse Advisory Committee is open to Oregon hospital Chief Nurse Officer/Executive or designee.

The Nurse Advisory Committee and Listserv is used to send announcements and information regarding updates and communications directly to hospital Chief Nurse Officer/Executive or designee.

To contact someone about your login or to be added to NAC & listserv: Please email your request to info@oahhs.org with " NAC & Listserv" in the subject field.

Nurse Staffing Summit

OAHHS and ONA hosted a second a one-day conference designed for Oregon hospital nursing staff. It was an opportunity to network with colleagues about best practices around the implementation of Oregon’s Nurse Staffing Law. 

​ 2017 Nurse Staffing Summit Resources