On March 27, the Maine Senate voted 22-13 to pass a nurse-patient ratio bill.
The Maine State Nurses Association, which represents about 4,000 nurses, applauded the news. The proposed violation fines range from $5,000 to $25,000 per nursing shift.
If approved, here are the minimum staff requirements for critical access hospitals that would go into effect in July 2025, according to the text for the Act to Address Unsafe Staffing of Nurses and Improve Patient Care:
One nurse for two patients if
- The patients are receiving neonatal intensive care
One nurse for four patients if
- The patients are receiving step-down or intermediate care, or the direct-care RN is assigned to a patient care unit that receives patients requiring step-down or intermediate care
- The patients are receiving telemetry services, or the nurse is assigned to a patient care unit that receives patients requiring telemetry services
One nurse for five patients if
- The patients are receiving medical-surgical care services, or the nurse is assigned to a patient care unit that receives patients requiring medical surgical care services
- The patients are receiving specialty care services, or the nurse is assigned to a patient care unit receiving patients requiring specialty care services
The following ratios would be state law by July 2026:
One nurse for one patient if:
- The patient is receiving neonatal intensive care
One nurse for three patients if:
- The patients are receiving step-down or intermediate care, or the direct-care registered nurse is assigned to a patient care unit that receives patients requiring step-down or intermediate care
- The patients are receiving telemetry services, or the nurse is assigned to a patient care unit that receives patients requiring telemetry services
One nurse for four patients if:
- The patients are receiving medical-surgical care services, or the nurse is assigned to a patient care unit that receives patients requiring medical surgical care services
- The patients are receiving specialty care services, or the nurse is assigned to a patient care unit receiving patients requiring specialty care services