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HR 1602 114th Congress House

Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2015

Official title: To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish direct care registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratio requirements in hospitals, and for other purposes.

Introduced: May 20, 2015 Introduced by: Schakowsky, Janice D. Democratic · Illinois See on congress.gov
Health Administrative law and regulatory proceduresCivil actions and liabilityDepartment of Health and Human ServicesEmployment discrimination and employee rights
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This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 7, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Mar 27, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Mar 25, 2015
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Mar 25, 2015
Introduced in House
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 Latest action April 7, 2015

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2015

Amends the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to implement and submit to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) a staffing plan that complies with specified minimum nurse-to-patient ratios by unit. Requires HHS to develop a transparent method for establishing nurse staffing requirements above minimum ratios.

Directs HHS to adjust Medicare payments to hospitals to cover additional costs incurred in providing services to Medicare beneficiaries that are attributable to compliance with such ratios.

Allows a nurse to object to, or refuse to participate in, any assignment if it would violate minimum ratios or if the nurse is not prepared by education or experience to fulfill the assignment without compromising the safety of a patient or jeopardizing the nurse's license. Prohibits a hospital from: (1) taking specified actions against a nurse based on the nurse's refusal to accept an assignment for such a reason; or (2) discriminating against any individual for good faith complaints relating to the care, services, or conditions of the hospital or of any related facilities.

Adds stipends to the nurse workforce loan repayment and scholarship program. Expands the nurse retention grant program to authorize programs to implement nurse preceptorship and mentorship projects.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 864 Related bill National Nursing Shortage Reform and Patient Advocacy Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
 Cosponsors 21
All 21 Democratic 20
D
Bonamici, Suzanne
Oregon · Apr 28, 2016
 D
Meng, Grace
New York · Apr 21, 2016
 D
Van Hollen, Chris
Maryland · Mar 23, 2016
 D
Moore, Gwen
Wisconsin · Oct 20, 2015
 D
Lofgren, Zoe
California · Sep 24, 2015
 D
Brownley, Julia
California · Sep 10, 2015
 D
McGovern, James P.
Massachusetts · Sep 10, 2015
 D
Bera, Ami
California · Jun 9, 2015
 D
Chu, Judy
California · Jun 9, 2015
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · May 20, 2015
 D
Clarke, Yvette D.
New York · May 14, 2015
 D
Beatty, Joyce
Ohio · May 12, 2015
Bordallo, Madeleine
· May 12, 2015
 D
Garamendi, John
California · May 12, 2015
 D
Peters, Scott H.
California · May 12, 2015
 D
Torres, Norma J.
California · Apr 30, 2015
 D
Clark, Katherine M.
Massachusetts · Apr 28, 2015
 D
Keating, William R.
Massachusetts · Apr 28, 2015
 D
Lynch, Stephen F.
Massachusetts · Apr 28, 2015
 D
Sherman, Brad
California · Apr 28, 2015
 D
Takano, Mark
California · Apr 28, 2015
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1602: Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2015. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-1602/
MLA
"H.R. 1602: Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2015." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-1602/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1602, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-1602/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1602: Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2015](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-1602/)
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