House Bill 144, sponsored by state Rep. Don Manning, now goes to the state Senate.
If signed into law, the proposal would prohibit a hospital from requiring nurses to work overtime as a condition of continued employment, with certain exceptions, such as urgent circumstances and during extended surgeries.
Under the proposal, hospitals would be allowed to require overtime if an on-call schedule is in place, according to The Blade. Voluntary overtime would be allowed.
The measure is supported by the Ohio Nurses Association, which argues that mandatory overtime can result in nurse fatigue and burnout.
The Ohio Hospital Association opposes the measure and has advocated for staffing flexibility.
The Dayton Daily News reports that more than 12 states already prohibit mandatory nurse overtime at hospitals.
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