Adds home care visits to existing provisions of law prohibiting health care employers from requiring a nurse to work more than such nurse's regularly scheduled…

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

• Democratic3

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Jessica Ramos says this is needed

Homecare nurses work in a demanding, stressful environment where proper decision making is a critical function of the job. In 2008, legislation limiting consecutive hours of work by nurses in other settings was passed and signed into law. That legislation did not include homecare settings (article thirty-six). Through consultation with the borne care industry, this language was developed to limit the consecutive hours of work by nurses in the home- care setting. Understaffing has resulted in nurses working longer hours caring for sicker, needier patients, and, in greater need of suitable rest. Unscheduled, mandatory overtime is an unfair, additional burden placed on a workforce, primarily female, with his or her own family and childcare responsibilities to address. This bill would not prohibit voluntary overtime assignment, but would allow nurses to take care of their own family needs, and their own rest needs, without concerns for charges of patient abandonment or patient neglect. This bill is intended to improve the healthcare environment for patients and the working envi- ronment for nurses and their families.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.