Anti-violence protections, loan forgiveness expanded for health care workers

Termed the “Nurse and Patient Safety Act,” a new law aims to address working conditions of health care workers, especially direct care nurses. And many provisions are meant to tackle the acute shortage of nurses seen across the state.

Effective July 1, 2023, incident response action plans will be required at all hospitals to combat the rising violence against health care workers. The law lays out specific criteria for the implementation of these action plans.

Additionally, the health professional education loan forgiveness program will expand to include direct care nurses at nonprofit hospitals. Over $10.6 million will be set aside to forgive loans for these newly eligible workers, per an appropriation that traveled in the health finance law.

The law also directs the Health Department to produce a report on the status of the state's nursing workforce. It must include information on reasons licensed nurses are leaving direct care positions at hospitals; information on retention by hospitals of licensed nurses; and information on reasons licensed nurses are choosing not to renew their licenses and leave the profession altogether.

Rep. Sandra Feist (DFL-New Brighton) and Sen. Erin Murphy (DFL-St. Paul) sponsor the law.

HF1522/SF1384*/CH75

SF1384* / HF1522 / CH75