ONA CEO Lori Chovanak testified in front of the House Finance SubCommittee on Health and Human Services on March 23rd about the dangers of nurse fatigue, the link between quality patient care and nurse staffing, and the need for stronger nurse staffing legislation.

In 2008, ONA helped pass Ohio’s current foundational staffing law that calls for each hospital to form a nurse staffing committee comprised of 50% direct care RNs and the Chief Nursing Officer. The committee is charged with producing an annual evidence-based nurse staffing plan that is available to the public.

ONA is asking the general assembly to build upon that current law and include language making it illegal to coerce nurses into working mandatory overtime.

Read the testimony here.