This bill, titled the Quality Patient Care Act, aims to establish new registered nurse (RN) staffing standards in Minnesota hospitals based on nationally accepted guidelines. Key provisions include:

1. Mandatory Nurse-to-Patient Ratios

   • The bill sets specific maximum patient assignments per direct-care registered nurse by hospital unit type. For example:
     • 1:1 ratio in operating rooms, trauma units, and for unstable or critical patients.
     • 1:2 ratio in intensive care units (ICUs), neonatal ICUs, and labor & delivery.
     • 1:3 to 1:5 ratios for other units like pediatrics, medical and surgical wards, and skilled nursing units.
       

2. Hospital Staffing Plans & Adjustments

   • Hospitals must create staffing plans in collaboration with direct-care nurses and unions.
     
   • Plans should include flexibility for increasing staff when needed based on patient acuity and nursing intensity.
     
   • Charge nurses cannot be counted in direct care ratios unless in an emergency.
     

3. Safe Patient Assignment Committees

   • By October 2026, all hospitals must form committees (with at least 60% direct-care RNs) to monitor staffing, ensure compliance, and propose solutions for shortages.
     

4. Protection Against Retaliation

   • Nurses are protected from discipline or retaliation for refusing an unsafe patient assignment or reporting unsafe staffing levels.
     

5. Enforcement & Penalties

   • The Minnesota Department of Health will enforce staffing standards.
     
   • Noncompliance results in civil penalties of at least $25,000 per incident and public reporting of violations.
     

6. Implementation Timeline

   • Hospitals must comply by August 1, 2027, with rural hospitals granted an extended deadline until August 1, 2029.
     

7. Reporting & Transparency

   • Hospitals must submit quarterly staffing reports detailing nurse-to-patient ratios.
     
   • The state will publish this data and impose fines for failure to report accurately.
     

8. Appropriation of Funds

   • The bill appropriates funding for enforcement starting in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to the Commissioner of Health.
     

Conclusion

This bill strengthens nurse staffing requirements, enhances patient safety, increases staffing transparency, and protects nurses from unfair retaliation—all while imposing strict penalties for noncompliance.