Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act

Increased Resident Safety and Care: The bill requires a minimum of 3.48 hours of nursing care per resident day to ensure an appropriate combination of skills that is sufficient to ensure the safety of each resident (Section 2(a)(1)(I)(II)).

Constant Professional Oversight: Facilities must provide the services of a registered professional nurse 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (Section 2(a)(1)(I)(III)).

Workforce Development: The bill allows for the use of funds to provide grants to educational institutions and unions to recruit, educate, and train individuals to expand the workforce (Section 4(a)(7)(A)(i)).

Financial Support for Healthcare Providers: The bill enables the repayment of student loans or payment of tuition for qualified providers who commit to serving in a nursing facility for at least 3 years (Section 4(a)(7)(A)(iii)).

Regular Program Improvements: A mandate for regular studies ensures that staffing requirements are reviewed and updated based on the complexity of health care needs and patient acuity (Section 2(b)(1)(A)(ii)).

Increased Regulatory Requirements for Facilities: Skilled nursing and nursing facilities are subject to new, specific minimum staffing requirements that must be met within 180 days of the act's enactment (Section 2(a)(1)(iii)).

Mandatory Funding Allocations: The bill requires the transfer of $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 specifically for carrying out studies and reports regarding staffing requirements (Section 2(b)(4)).