An Ohio lawmaker has introduced legislation that would prohibit mandatory overtime for nurses, according to a Dayton Daily News report.
The legislation, sponsored by state Rep. Don Manning, would ban a hospital from requiring a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse to work overtime as a condition of continued employment.
The Ohio Nurses Association supports the measure, arguing that mandatory overtime can result in nurse fatigue and burnout.
"Nurses are professionals who are ethically bound to assess their ability to care for their patients. If a nurse is too fatigued to provide the safe care his/her patient deserves, the nurse should have the right to refuse overtime without fear of discipline or even being fired," Brian Burger, president of the union, said in a news release.
"Prioritizing safe nurse staffing benefits everyone: nurses, patients and healthcare facilities. Research points to dissatisfied patients, increased errors and higher patient readmissions when nurses are not safely staffed.
"Furthermore, nurse burnout increases with regular extended shifts, leading to costly nurse turnover for healthcare facilities," Mr. Burger added.
The Ohio Hospital Association is evaluating the proposed bill and advocated for staffing flexibility.
"Hospitals need flexibility to respond to the dynamic state of patient needs and must focus on a variety of factors when determining staffing levels, while keeping patient safety at the core of those decisions," said association spokesperson John Palmer.
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