(1)(a) For each hospital there shall be established a hospital nurse staffing committee. Each hospital nurse staffing committee shall:

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

(B) For the 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 nurse staffing plan; and

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

(b) If any of the direct care registered nurses who work at a hospital have an exclusive representative, the exclusive representative shall select the direct care registered nurse members of the committee.

(c) If the direct care staff member who is not a registered nurse who works at a hospital has an exclusive representative, the exclusive representative shall select the direct care staff member of the committee who is not a registered nurse.

(d) If none of the direct care registered nurses who work at a hospital are represented by an exclusive representative, the direct care registered nurses belonging to a hospital nurse specialty or unit shall select the members of the committee who are direct care registered nurses from the specialty or unit to serve on the committee.

(e) If none of the direct care staff working at the hospital who are not registered nurses are represented by an exclusive representative, the direct care registered nurses who are members of the staffing committee shall select the direct care staff who are not registered nurses to serve on the committee.

(2) A hospital nurse staffing committee shall develop a written hospital-wide nurse staffing plan in accordance with this section and ORS § 441.763, 441.764, 441.765, 441.766, 441.767 and 441.768. 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 § 441.764.

(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 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 present at a meeting 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.

(6) A hospital nurse staffing committee shall meet:

(a) At least once every four 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. [Formerly 441.154]

See note under 441.761.