An Act relating to staffing standards for registered nurses; and providing for an effective date.

Senate Bill 283 establishes minimum staffing standards for registered nurses in Alaska hospitals by limiting the maximum number of patients each nurse can be assigned during a shift in various units, such as intensive care, emergency departments, and labor and delivery. The bill requires hospitals to create written staffing plans and mandates that nurses be physically present in the care area, explicitly prohibiting the use of remote workers, care coordinators, or artificial intelligence to meet staffing requirements. Additionally, the legislation ensures that every nurse assigned to a patient care unit must have completed sufficient orientation to demonstrate current competence in that specific clinical area.