Safe Staffing Law (HB 346) Implementation Tool Kit

Welcome to the HB 346 Staffing Tool Kit
The collaboration that created the historic the Nursing 2015 initiative reached another milestone with the enactment of HB 346. The shared vision of the Ohio Hospital Association, Ohio Nurses Association and the Ohio Organization of Nurse Executives set the stage for strong advocacy of Ohio’s Safe Nurse Staffing Legislation. This statute provides an opportunity for nurses to collaborate with hospital and nursing leaders in determining nurse staffing needs applying evidence-based principles established by private accrediting organizations, governmental entities, professional nursing organizations, nursing and patient outcomes research, and other recognized authorities on safe patient care.

This toolkit is designed to assist hospitals, chief nurses and direct care nurses in carrying out the provisions of the new nurse staffing statute. Use of the toolkit is purely voluntary and meant as a resource for its users. The toolkit was developed under the leadership of the Nursing 2015 Blue Team, lead by Renae Phillips and Michele Valentino.

The toolkit is a “work-in-progress” that will undoubtedly undergo revision and refinement as the hospital and nursing communities gain experience in establishing nursing care committees and creating written staffing plans. The Nursing 2015 Blue Team is eager for feedback on the value of the toolkit contents. Please forward your comments to nursing2015@yahoo.com.

Table of Contents

1. HB 346 as Enacted (PDF)
2. Nurse Staffing in Ohio – A Toolkit for Implementing HB 346 (PowerPoint)
3. Developing a Staffing Budget (PowerPoint)
4. Annual Staffing Plan Review – Sample Outcome Metrics (PowerPoint)
5. Facilitation of Successful Committee Work (PowerPoint)
6. Sample #1 Nursing Care Committee Charter (PDF)
7. Sample #2 Nursing Care Committee Charter (MS Word) (PDF)
8. Sample Strategies for Obtaining Input from Direct Care Nurses (MS Word) (PDF)
9. Staffing Plan Template – 8 Hours (MS Word) (PDF)
10. Staffing Plan Template – 12 Hours (MS Word) (PDF)
11. Staffing Plan Template – 12 Hours Sample (MS Word) (PDF)
12. Sample Public Posting Notice (MS Word) (PDF)
13. Nursing 2015 Staffing Committee Talking Points (MS Word) (PDF)
14. Nursing 2015 Safe Staffing Legislation (MS Word) (PDF)
15. Frequently Asked Questions HB 346 (MS Word) (PDF)
16. ANA Principles of Safe Staffing (MS Word) (PDF)
17. Nursing Organizations Alliance Principles and Elements of a Healthful Work-Practice Environment (PDF)
18. AONE Policy Statement on Mandatory Overtime (PDF)
19. OHA Position Statement on Nurse Staffing (PDF)
20. Medicare Conditions of Participation Nursing (PDF)
21. Nursing Professional Organizations Links (MS Word) (PDF)