Nurse Overtime and Patient Safety Act of 2024

Nurse Overtime and Patient Safety Act of 2024

This bill requires certain providers, as a condition of Medicare participation, to limit mandatory overtime for nurses.

Specifically, the bill prohibits hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, home health agencies, rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, and other specified providers from requiring nurses to work (1) more than a previously scheduled shift, 48 hours in a workweek, or 12 consecutive hours in a 24-hour period; or (2) during the 10 hours immediately following the 12th hour worked in a shift during a 24-hour period.

Qualifying work hours include time spent in training, on call, and on standby. The bill's provisions do not apply during declared emergencies or disasters, subject to specified conditions, and do not preclude voluntary overtime.

The bill also establishes (1) certain protections for nurses who file complaints against providers, (2) documentation and notice requirements for providers, and (3) potential civil penalties for violations.

Bill 118 hr 7546, also known as the Nurse Overtime and Patient Safety Act of 2024, aims to address the issue of nurse overtime and its impact on patient safety in healthcare facilities across the United States. The bill seeks to establish limits on the amount of overtime that nurses can be required to work, in order to prevent burnout and ensure that patients receive the highest quality of care.

Under the provisions of the bill, healthcare facilities would be required to limit the amount of overtime that nurses can work to no more than 12 hours in a 24-hour period, and no more than 60 hours in a 7-day period. Additionally, nurses would be entitled to receive overtime pay at a rate of 1.5 times their regular hourly wage for any hours worked beyond these limits.

The bill also includes provisions to improve patient safety by requiring healthcare facilities to maintain adequate staffing levels at all times. This would help to ensure that nurses are not overburdened with excessive workloads, which can lead to errors and compromise patient care. Overall, the Nurse Overtime and Patient Safety Act of 2024 aims to protect the well-being of both nurses and patients by establishing reasonable limits on nurse overtime and promoting safe staffing practices in healthcare facilities.