PRINTER'S NO. 2218
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
429
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY INNAMORATO, SHUSTERMAN, WILLIAMS, LEE, KINSEY,
HILL-EVANS, BARRAR, A. DAVIS, CALTAGIRONE, T. DAVIS, KORTZ,
MURT, YOUNGBLOOD, FRANKEL, READSHAW, OTTEN, ZABEL, MERSKI,
NEILSON, FREEMAN, WARREN, SAPPEY, MILLARD, DALEY, DeLUCA,
McCLINTON, MARKOSEK, MADDEN, HOWARD, WEBSTER, HOHENSTEIN,
RABB, HARRIS, CEPHAS, DELLOSO, KULIK, RAVENSTAHL, JOHNSON-
HARRELL, MULLINS AND DRISCOLL, JUNE 24, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, JUNE 24, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Department of Health to lower nurse-to-patient ratios
in regulation for long-term care nursing facilities in this
Commonwealth to ensure safe staffing standards.
WHEREAS, Over 80,000 of this Commonwealth's most vulnerable
residents reside in more than 700 long-term care nursing
facilities throughout Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Of the 80,000 residents residing in long-term care
nursing facilities, 39% are between the ages of 85 and 94, and
9% are 95 years of age or older; and
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth's aging population has led to a
significant increase in the number of older adults requiring
care at long-term care nursing facilities; and
WHEREAS, Long-term care nursing facilities now have a greater
proportion of residents with chronic conditions and complex care
needs and who have a greater dependency on caregivers to meet
those needs; and
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
WHEREAS, Approximately 36% of residents in this
Commonwealth's long-term care nursing facilities had a severe
cognitive impairment in 2014; and
WHEREAS, Residents' quality of life and quality of care are
directly impacted by the number of nursing staff, including
registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and certified
nursing aides; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Health is responsible for the
licensing and oversight of long-term care nursing facilities in
this Commonwealth, including the annual survey process and
complaint inspections; and
WHEREAS, In 2016, a performance audit report of the
Department of Health and its mission of regulation of long-term
care nursing facilities by the Auditor General reported serious
concerns in the areas of resident quality of life and quality of
care, complaint processes and sanctions; and
WHEREAS, The performance audit report found that the
Department of Health lacked policies and procedures for
enforcing the minimum staffing requirement in regulation, rarely
cited facilities for having inadequate staffing levels and did
not require those facilities who failed to meet the standard
ratios to increase their staffing levels; and
WHEREAS, Despite further investigations into inadequate and
substandard care in long-term care nursing facilities, serious
problems persist in the quality of care to residents in long-
term care nursing facilities; and
WHEREAS, The current long-term care nursing facility staffing
ratios found under 28 Pa. Code ยง 211.12 have not been updated in
decades; and
WHEREAS, High nurse-to-patient ratios and other unbalanced
20190HR0429PN2218 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
levels of nurse staffing can lead to unsafe conditions for both
nurses and residents, including medication errors, infections
and falls and even accidental death; and
WHEREAS, Mandating lower nurse-to-patient ratios, determined
based on research, best practices and experiences in long-term
care nursing facilities in this Commonwealth, will emphasize the
importance of safety and quality improvement in providing value-
based care to residents in long-term care nursing facilities;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the
Department of Health to lower nurse-to-patient ratios in
regulation for long-term care nursing facilities in this
Commonwealth to ensure safe staffing standards.
20190HR0429PN2218 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13