COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio lawmakers are introducing a bill to combat minimum staffing standards and patient safety.
The Nurse Workforce and Safe Patient Care Act would create a staffing committee responsible for creating safety standards for hospital staffing. This would mean that nurses will have a cap for the number of patients they have to take care of on a shift.
The bill would also provide an incentive for those debating going into nursing by offering students a $12,000 grant over a four-year cycle, so long as they commit to working in Ohio for at least five years after graduation.
"We want to make sure that we are encouraging nurses to come here, stay here, make this home, and come do the job that you signed up to do and give those families the care that they need," said Rep. Elgin Rogers, Jr. (D-Toledo).
Elgin and State Rep. Haraz Ghanbari (R)-Perrysburg) are the co-sponsors of this bill. Both say nurses are leaving the profession in droves are that the state needs to do more to keep them around.
"Those same nurses that take care of your loved ones and mine, we need to take care of them," said Rep. Elgin.
Members of the Ohio Nurses Association will join Rep. Ghanbari to announce the bill at the Ohio Statehouse on Tuesday morning.
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