093_SB1570
LRB093 10807 BDD 11244 b
1 AN ACT concerning the Department of Public Health.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Department of Public Health Powers and
5 Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
6 amended by adding Section 2310-228 as follows:
7 (20 ILCS 2310/2310-228 new)
8 Sec. 2310-228. Nursing workforce database.
9 (a) The Department shall establish and administer a
10 nursing workforce database. The database shall be assembled
11 and maintained with the assistance of the Department of
12 Professional Regulation, the Department of Labor, the
13 Department of Employment Security, and any other State agency
14 or department with access to nursing and nursing
15 workforce-related information.
16 (b) The objective of establishing the database shall be
17 the collection and analysis of data related to nursing and to
18 the nursing workforce, so that conclusions may be drawn
19 relating to current nursing supply, demand, and workforce
20 concerns in the State and to future workforce projections and
21 needs. The information to be collected and analyzed shall
22 include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
23 (1) Nursing supply and demand, including issues
24 relating to the recruitment and retention of nurses and
25 the effective and efficient use of nursing workforce
26 resources.
27 (2) Analysis and acuity measurements relating to
28 nursing quality, including patient classification
29 systems, patient outcomes, the amount of direct nursing
30 care, and outcomes indicators.
31 (3) Research concerning nurse classifications to
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1 ensure that distinctions in the scope of practicing and
2 practice settings are identified and analyzed, including
3 registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and
4 advanced practice nurses.
5 (4) Information compiled by other sources,
6 including national associations, institutions of higher
7 learning, medical journals, and State medical societies,
8 that facilitates the analysis of the correlations between
9 nurse staffing issues and patient outcomes and the
10 quality of patient care.
11 (5) State, regional, and local nursing shortages.
12 (6) The extent to which unlicensed personnel are
13 used in the health care field and the impact upon nursing
14 staffing, quality, and patient care.
15 (c) To accomplish the objectives set forth in subsection
16 (b), information obtained and assembled by the Department
17 into a database may be used by the Department, medical
18 institutions and societies, and other interested parties to
19 assess current and projected nursing workforce shortfalls and
20 develop strategies for overcoming them; to more effectively
21 conduct analysis of (i) patient classification systems and
22 outcomes, (ii) nursing workload comparisons, including the
23 amount of direct nursing care, (iii) outcomes indicators, and
24 (iv) other research conducted to ensure quality patient care
25 and nursing competence; to publish or distribute information
26 regarding conclusions to be drawn from the database
27 information; to recommend systemic changes and strategies for
28 their implementation; and to share and collaborate with other
29 states that collect health data, nursing workforce outcomes,
30 and quantitative information related to direct nursing care.
31 Additionally, schools of nursing may use the database to
32 assist in determining enrollment, educational curriculum, and
33 related nursing workforce educational issues and needs.
34 (d) No later than January 15, 2005, the Department shall
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1 submit a report to the Governor and to the members of the
2 General Assembly regarding the development of the database
3 and the effectiveness of its use.