Referred to: The Public Health and Social Services Committee (Chairman Lopez and

Legislators Allen, Belfiglio, Litts and Provenzano)

Legislator Jeanette Provenzano and Legislators Allen, Belfiglio, Litts, Lopez, and

Rodriguez offer the following:

WHEREAS, Assembly Bill 01548 and Senate Bill 00782 have been

introduced in the 2015-2016 Legislative Session to amend Public Health Law to

require all acute care facilities and nursing homes to meet standards for appropriate

staffing ratios of nursing and unlicensed direct care staff; and

WHEREAS, the proposed amendment would establish minimum nurse to

patient ratios based on peer-reviewed academic research and evidence based

recommendations; and

WHEREAS, the proposed amendment would require public disclosure of

facility staffing requirements; and

WHEREAS, a Residential Health Care Facility Council would be established

that would assist in the development and maintenance of required minimum staff

hours of care per resident per day; and

WHEREAS, the Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act was first introduced in the

2009-2010 New York State Legislative session; and

WHEREAS, the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) published

research that estimated five additional deaths per one thousand patients occurred in

hospitals that routinely staff with a 1:8 nurse to patient ratio compared to those

staffing with a 1:4 nurse to patient ratio; and

WHEREAS, the JAMA research also found the odds of patient death

increased by 7% for each additional patient the nurse must care for at one time; and

WHEREAS, the Federal Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ)

found hospitals with lower nurse staffing levels had higher rates of pneumonia,

shock, cardiac arrests, urinary tract infections and upper gastrointestinal bleeds which

all led to higher costs and mortality from hospital acquired complications; now,

therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Legislature urges New York State

lawmakers to support the passage of New York State Assembly Bill 01548 and

Senate Bill 00782 to amend the Public Health Law in relation to enacting the “Safe 

Staffing For Quality Care Act” and require acute care facilities and nursing homes to

implement certain direct-care nurse to patient ratios in all nursing facilities; and, be it

further

RESOLVED, the Clerk of the Ulster County Legislature shall forward copies

of this resolution to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assembly and Senate Majority and

Minority Leaders, Assembly and Senate Health Committee Chairmen, Assembly

Ways and Means Committee Chairman, Senate Finance Committee Chairman, all

Ulster County elected Assemblymen and Senators and the New York State Nurses

Association District 11,

and move its adoption.

 ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

 AYES: 19 NOES: 3

 (Noes: Legislators Gerentine, Roberts and

 Ronk)

 (Legislator Briggs left Chambers at 8:41 PM

 and returned at 8:43 PM)

Passed Committee: Public Health and Social Services on August 3, 2015

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE

STATE OF NEW YORK

 ss:

COUNTY OF ULSTER

I, the undersigned Clerk of the Legislature of the County of Ulster, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is

the original resolution adopted by the Ulster County Legislature on the 18th Day of August in the year Two Thousand and

Fifteen, and said resolution shall remain on file in the office of said clerk.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the County of Ulster this 19th Day of August

in the year Two Thousand and Fifteen.

|s| Victoria A. Fabella

Victoria A. Fabella, Clerk

Ulster County Legislature