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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 19, 2022 02:56 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Thomas L. Mehaffie, III and Rep. Kathleen C. Tomlinson, Rep. Bridget M. Kosierowski |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Patient Safety Act |
| In the near future, Representative Tomlinson, Representative Kosierowski and I plan to re-introduce legislation which would establish safe patient limits under the care of an individual nurse in Pennsylvania hospitals, to be known as the Patient Safety Act. Nurses have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic putting their lives on the line to keep patients in our communities safe. Unfortunately, nurses across the state are being assigned an increasing number of patients as staffing levels continue to decline, resulting in nearly 300 surgical patient deaths per year in Pennsylvania. Now, in this crisis, more than ever, our patients need the protection of the Patient Safety Act. The Patient Safety Act legislation would set appropriate ratios for Pennsylvania hospitals dependent upon the acuity of the unit’s patient needs. This legislation is an important part of keeping hospital patients safe and ensuring they receive the best care possible. In addition, the Patient Safety Act represents an excellent way for hospitals to make an investment in patient care that will pay dividends in overall savings. A number of other states have already instituted safe patient limits. Nurses are doing all they can to save the lives of Pennsylvanians and now it's time for our legislature to do our part to protect patients in our communities. Please cosponsor the Patient Safety Act. This legislation was introduced as HB106 in the previous session by Rep. Tomlinson and myself, with Representatives Ciresi, Deasy, Frankel, Freeman Hohenstein, Innamorato, Isaacson, Kinkead, Kinsey, Kulik, Madden, Marshall, Neilson, and Zabel. |
Introduced as HB106