What's happening
Writing a plain-English summary… Track this bill to get it by email.
Why it matters
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Sponsors
History
- Print number 3839a
- Amend and recommit to health
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Creates the New York state safe patient handling task force
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Susan John
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S3839A
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law and the education law, in relation to a safe patient handling policy for health care facilities
Purpose
To create a Statewide Safe Patient Handling policy for all health care facilities in New York State.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 adds a new title 4 to article 29-d of the public health law. The bill creates an eleven member New York State Safe Patient Handling Task Force within the Department, of Health, which includes the composi- tion of the task force and its powers and duties. The bill requires that a report identifying Safe Patient Handling Program elements and recom- mendations to the Commissioner of Health by July 1, 2010.
The Commissioner of Health in consultation with the task force shall promulgate rules and regulations for a statewide safe patient handling policy to be made available to all health care facilities by January 1, 2011.
Requires all facilities covered by this act to file a plan for compli- ance with the Department of Health by July 1, 2011 that must be accepted by the Department of Health by January 1, 2012.
Requires all covered facilities to establish Safe Patient Handling Committees to assist with compliance and training requirements of the statewide policy.
Section 2 adds a new section 6510-e to the education law stating that a nurse's refusal to engage in patient handling not consistent with the state safe patient handling policy shall not be considered professional misconduct. The section pertains to refusal of a licensed or unlicensed health care workers refusal to engage in patient handling not consistent with the state safe patient handling policy shall not be considered professional misconduct.
Justification
Safe Patient Handling uses the latest technology to assist patients with movement. The "old" method of manual lifting can cause patients fear, anxiety and discomfort, not to mention it increases the chance of slips, falls and drops. Patients can also develop skin tears and bruising due to manual lifting. For patients, the safe patient handling program improves safety and comfort, reduces the risk of falls, drops, skin tears and bruising, reduces fear and anxiety, gives residents/patients greater satisfaction of their care, makes residents/patients more inde- pendent, increases dignity, improves urinary continence and makes patients more ambulatory. For Health care workers, safe patient handling programs reduce injuries, decrease pain and muscle fatigue, decrease
lost work days, decreases overtime, increases morale and job satisfac- tion. For health care facilities, safe patient handling programs increase the quality of care for patients, increases employees retention rates, reduces injuries to workers, which reduces worker compensation claims, lost days and lawsuits.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect 120 days after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.