Gov. David Paterson announced Friday he signed legislation to end most mandatory overtime for nurses in hospitals and other health-care facilities, something the medical professionals have been trying to accomplish for many years.

   The law will reduce the risk of preventable errors caused by tired and overworked nurses, the governor said in signing the law. The law takes effect July 1, 2009, to give employers enough time to increase recruitment efforts and make other staffing arrangements.

   “By prohibiting mandatory overtime, New York State’s hospitals and health-care facilities will be able to provide a greater quality of care to its patients,” he said in a statement. “Additionally, this legislation will allow our facilities to retain and recruit a vital nursing workforce, which is necessary to maintain the high standard of health care that New York provides.”

   The law prohibits employers from requiring nurses to work more than their regularly scheduled work hours, but there is no specific cap on hours that can be worked in a week. There are exceptions for natural or other types of disasters; federal, state and county declarations of emergency; nurses participating in an ongoing medical or surgical procedure; when necessary to provide safe patient care when no other staffing is available; and a nurse agrees to work overtime.

   The New York State Nurses Association has fought more than eight years for the legislation, said Tina Gerardi, CEO of the group and a registered nurse. “Our members across the state have told us that employer-mandated overtime is endangering their patients and their own health,” she said in a statement. 

   The first-year cost of the new law is expected to be $8 million, which will be offset partially by a reduction in overtime, according to the Governor’s Office.

   The legislation is expected to bring back nurses who have left the profession because of working conditions that were not ideal. There is a shortage of professionals in the field across the nation.