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SAMPLE ACUITY TOOLS DEVELOPED BY THE MNA FOR USE BY MEMBERS SERVING ON COMMITTEES TO DEVELOP A TOOL UNDER THE ICU LAW

Under the new law setting safe patient limits for nurses in hospital ICUs, each hospital is required to establish committees made up of at least 50 percent ICU staff nurses who will develop acuity tools to be used by RNs in all manner of ICUs to determine if and when a nurse can safely accept a two patient assignment. The MNA is working with our members in our bargaining units to assist in this process. As part of that effort MNA staff members in our Division of Nursing have worked with ICU nurses from throughout the state to create sample acuity tools for each type of ICU that list specific clinical conditions and other environmental factors that should be included in hospital specific tools. A link to each sample tool is provided below. Of course, if you have any questions about these tools, or want to schedule a meeting with a member of our staff to explain this process, contact Dorothy McCabe at dmccabe@mnarn.org or 781.830.5714.