House
File
2019
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
2019
BY
WESSEL-KROESCHELL
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
minimum
nurse-to-patient
ratios
in
1
hospitals.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
3
TLSB
5706YH
(3)
90
pf/ko
H.F.
2019
Section
1.
NEW
SECTION
.
135B.36
Minimum
registered
1
nurse-to-patient
ratios.
2
1.
The
department
shall
establish
the
following
registered
3
nurse-to-patient
ratios
based
on
the
specific
type
of
care:
4
a.
For
intensive
and
critical
care,
a
registered
5
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
two
patients.
6
b.
For
neonatal
intensive
care,
a
registered
7
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
two
patients.
8
c.
For
the
operating
room,
a
registered
nurse-to-patient
9
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
one
patient.
10
d.
For
post-anesthesia
recovery,
a
registered
11
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
two
patients.
12
e.
For
labor
and
delivery,
a
registered
nurse-to-patient
13
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
two
patients.
14
f.
For
antepartum
care,
a
registered
nurse-to-patient
ratio
15
of
one
registered
nurse
to
four
patients.
16
g.
For
postpartum
couplet
care,
a
registered
17
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
four
18
patients.
19
h.
For
postpartum
women
only
care,
a
registered
20
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
six
patients.
21
i.
For
pediatrics,
a
registered
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
22
one
registered
nurse
to
four
patients.
23
j.
For
the
emergency
department,
a
registered
24
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
four
25
patients.
26
k.
For
intensive
care
unit
patients
in
the
emergency
27
department,
a
registered
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
one
28
registered
nurse
to
two
patients.
29
l.
For
trauma
patients
in
the
emergency
department,
a
30
registered
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
31
one
patient.
32
m.
For
a
step
down
unit,
a
registered
nurse-to-patient
ratio
33
of
one
registered
nurse
to
four
patients.
34
n.
For
a
step
down
unit
beginning
July
1,
2025,
a
registered
35
-1-
LSB
5706YH
(3)
90
pf/ko
1/
2
H.F.
2019
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
three
1
patients.
2
o.
For
telemetry,
a
registered
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
one
3
registered
nurse
to
five
patients.
4
p.
For
telemetry
beginning
July
1,
2025,
a
registered
5
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
four
6
patients.
7
q.
For
a
medical/surgical
unit,
a
registered
8
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
six
patients.
9
r.
For
a
medical/surgical
unit,
beginning
July
1,
2025,
a
10
registered
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
11
five
patients.
12
s.
For
other
specialty
care,
a
registered
nurse-to-patient
13
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
five
patients.
14
t.
For
other
specialty
care
beginning
July
1,
2025,
a
15
registered
nurse-to-patient
ratio
of
one
registered
nurse
to
16
four
patients.
17
u.
For
psychiatric
care,
a
registered
nurse-to-patient
ratio
18
of
one
registered
nurse
to
six
patients.
19
2.
The
department
shall
adopt
rules
pursuant
to
chapter
17A
20
to
administer
this
section.
21
EXPLANATION
22
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
23
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
24
This
bill
establishes
specific
registered
nurse-to-patient
25
ratios
based
upon
the
type
of
care
provided
in
a
hospital.
26
The
bill
requires
the
department
of
inspections,
appeals,
and
27
licensing
to
adopt
administrative
rules
to
administer
the
bill.
28
-2-
LSB
5706YH
(3)
90
pf/ko
2/
2