THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

178

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING A CENTER FOR NURSING IN HAWAII.

 

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii, the nation and many parts of the world are confronting a serious nursing shortage that will likely become even worse over the next ten years; and

WHEREAS, there is a critical need to ensure adequate nursing resources to assure quality health care to the people of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, there have been fluctuations in the supply of nurses in Hawaii that are difficult to predict and explain; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii’s geographic isolation and high cost of living compounds the difficulty in recruiting and retaining nurses; and

WHEREAS, the 1999 data indicate that the average nurse is approximately 45 years of age, less than 7 percent of nurses are under the age of 30, and nearly 40 percent are age 50 or older and will be retiring within the next 10 years; and

WHEREAS, the future demand for nurses is expected to increase significantly as the baby boom generation ages thus increasing the need for elder care in our society; and

WHEREAS, unless more young people choose a nursing career, a large percentage of nurses will retire, causing a potentially serious impact on patient care; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii could benefit by following the example of other states, including New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas, by establishing a Center for Nursing to develop and disseminate objective data and information about the nursing workforce in the State; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-First Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is requested to convene a working group to develop legislation to establish a Center for Nursing in Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group consist of representatives from the following groups and organizations: the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the Department of Health, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, the American Organization of Nurse Executives - Hawaii Chapter, the Community Initiative on Nursing of Hawaii, the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, the Hawaii Nurses Association, the Hawaii Government Employees Association, the Hawaii League for Nursing, and other interested parties; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group should consider various components related to establishing a Center on Nursing in Hawaii, including but not limited to:

(1) Establishing and maintaining a data base on supply and demand of the nursing workforce to project future needs;

(2) Creating a coordinated and economical data base that will be readily available for use by employers, nurses, colleges and universities and other interested groups;

(3) Conducting research on the nursing workforce;

(4) Developing mechanisms to promote a positive image of nursing to improve the recruitment and retention of nurses;

(5) Encouraging collaboration among educators, nurses and employers to ensure that nursing education programs meet the future needs of the market place;

(6) Convening various groups, which include representatives from nursing, other health care professions, consumers, legislators, educators and business leaders to provide input to Center for Nursing staff; and

(7) Using the research findings to assist employers, educators, and nurses in developing nursing resources within the state;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group consider how other states have established, funded, and operated different types of Centers for Nursing; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2003; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the Director of Health, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, the American Organization of Nurse Executives-Hawaii Chapter, the Community Initiative on Nursing of Hawaii, the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, the Hawaii Nurses Association, the Hawaii Government Employees Association, and the Hawaii League for Nursing.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DCCA working group to develop legislation for Center on Nursing