CNA/NNU sponsored the bill, AB 1136. Earlier versions of the bill were vetoed by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“With this critical law, California has taken another big step to ensure that patients and nurses are safe in hospitals,” said CNA/NNU Legislative Director Bonnie Castillo, RN, in the release. “This law will prevent the most common injury for nurses and patients, falls that are the direct result of not having lift teams, policies, or equipment needed to stop accidents and reduce injuries.”
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The Hospital Patient and Health Care Worker Injury Protection Act also protects workers from disciplinary action if safety concerns cause them to refuse to lift, reposition or transfer a patient without a lift team, according to a news release from Assemblymember Sandré Swanson, who authored the bill.
The bill allows hospitals to establish policies reflective of their needs and allows the training of existing staff as lift team members.
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