Legislative findings and purpose.

The Legislature finds and declares that: (1) It is essential that qualified registered nurses and other licensed health care workers providing direct patient care be available to meet the needs of patients; (2) Quality patient care is jeopardized by nurses that work unnecessarily long hours in hospitals; (3) Health care workers, especially nurses, are leaving their profession because of workplace stresses, long work hours and depreciation of their essential role in the delivery of quality, direct patient care; (4) It is necessary to safeguard the efficiency, health and general well-being of health care workers in hospitals, as well as the health and general well-being of the persons who use their services; (5) It is further necessary that health care workers be aware of their rights, duties and remedies with regard to hours worked and patient safety; and (6) Hospitals should provide adequate safe nursing staffing without the use of mandatory overtime.