RI's Minimum Nursing Community Staffing Bill Heads to Governor's Desk

Patch.com reports that the Rhode Island General Assembly has passed legislation that establishes minimum staffing standards in the state's nursing community, which now heads to Gov. Dan McKee's desk for final approval. The new law would require communities to provide at least 3.58 hours of resident care daily starting Jan. 1, to be increased to 3.81 hours per day the following year. The measure was pushed by the Raise the Bar on Resident Care advocacy group, and co-sponsor Sen. Maryellen Goodwin (D) said the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the burdens for nursing community staff as well as patients. "We must confront this problem head-on before our nursing home system collapses," she warned. In addition to creating minimum standards for care, the bill also sets up funding to raise salaries to "recruit and retain a stable workforce." The median pay rate for a certified nursing assistant in Rhode Island is less than $15 and $1 per hour less compared the rate in Massachusetts and Connecticut. "This bill is about getting our nursing community patients the quality care that they need and deserve," explained co-sponsor Rep. Scott Slater (D).