(A) Consist of an equal number of hospital nurse managers and direct care staff;

(B) For that portion of the committee composed of direct care staff, consist entirely of direct care registered nurses, except for one position to be filled by a direct care staff member who is not a registered nurse and whose services are covered by a written hospital-wide staffing plan that meets the requirements of ORS 441.155; and

(C) Include at least one direct care registered nurse from each hospital nurse specialty or unit.

(b) If the direct care registered nurses who work at a hospital are represented under a collective bargaining agreement, the bargaining unit shall conduct a selection process by which the direct care registered nurses who work at the hospital select the members of the committee who are direct care registered nurses.

(c) If the direct care staff member who is not a registered nurse who works at a hospital is represented under a collective bargaining agreement, the bargaining unit shall use the selection process conducted pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subsection to select that member of the committee.

(d) If the direct care registered nurses who work at a hospital are not represented under a collective bargaining agreement, the direct care registered nurses belonging to a hospital nurse specialty or unit shall select each member of the committee who is a direct care registered nurse from that specialty or unit.

(2) A hospital nurse staffing committee shall develop a written hospital-wide staffing plan in accordance with ORS 441.155. The committee’s primary goals in developing the staffing plan shall be to ensure that the hospital is staffed to meet the health care needs of patients. The committee shall review and modify the staffing plan in accordance with ORS 441.156.

(3) A majority of the members of a hospital nurse staffing committee constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business.

(4) A hospital nurse staffing committee shall have two cochairs. One cochair shall be a hospital nurse manager elected by the members of the committee who are hospital nurse managers and one cochair shall be a direct care registered nurse elected by the members of the committee who are direct care staff.

(5)(a) A decision made by a hospital nurse staffing committee must be made by a vote of a majority of the members of the committee. If a quorum of members comprises an unequal number of hospital nurse managers and direct care staff, only an equal number of hospital nurse managers and direct care staff may vote.

(b) If the committee is unable to reach an agreement on the staffing plan, either cochair of the committee may invoke a 30-day period during which the committee shall continue to develop the staffing plan. During the 30-day period, the hospital shall respond in a timely manner to reasonable requests from members of the committee for data that will enable the committee to reach a resolution. If at the end of the 30-day period, the committee remains unable to reach an agreement on the staffing plan, one of the cochairs shall notify the Oregon Health Authority of the impasse.

(c) Upon receiving notification under paragraph (b) of this subsection, the authority shall provide the committee with a mediator to assist the committee in reaching an agreement on the staffing plan. Mediation conducted under this paragraph must be consistent with the requirements for implementing and reviewing staffing plans under ORS 441.155 and 441.156.

(d) If the committee is unable to reach an agreement on the staffing plan after 90 days of mediation, the authority may impose a penalty against the hospital as described in ORS 441.175.

(6) A hospital nurse staffing committee shall meet:

(a) At least once every three months; and

(b) At any time and place specified by either cochair.

(7)(a) Subject to paragraph (b) of this subsection, a hospital nurse staffing committee meeting must be open to:

(A) The hospital nursing staff as observers; and

(B) Upon invitation by either cochair, other observers or presenters.

(b) At any time, either cochair may exclude persons described in paragraph (a) of this subsection from a committee meeting for purposes related to deliberation and voting.

(8) Minutes of hospital nurse staffing committee meetings must:

(a) Include motions made and outcomes of votes taken;

(b) Summarize discussions; and

(c) Be made available in a timely manner to hospital nursing staff and other hospital staff upon request.

(9) A hospital shall release a member of a hospital nurse staffing committee described in subsection (1)(a) of this section from the member’s assignment, and provide the member with paid time, to attend committee meetings. [2015 c.669 §1]

Note: See note under 441.152.