Report Title:

Public Health Nursing

 

Description:

Creates the public health nursing branch program under the department of health.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2795

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The public health nursing branch program was established by the department of health in 1923 to provide communicable disease control, infant welfare services, and nutrition services. Public health nursing services included home visitation to monitor and follow-up of health conditions, and conducting screening and assessments of children for early identification and intervention. The public health nursing branch program continues to be prominently involved in the provision of services in the prevention and control of communicable diseases, immunization activities, and the immediate response to epidemics and other catastrophic disasters and traumatic emergency events in the community.

Public health nurses have the clinical experiences to monitor, anticipate, and respond to public health problems in communities regardless of the disease or threat. The program targets care coordination services to the most vulnerable population of special needs infants, toddlers, children, elderly, and other populations having difficulty accessing the health care system due to the ever changing societal challenges. The public health nursing branch program has extensive experiences in collaboration, coordination, transition, and family involvement in meeting the needs of vulnerable populations.

The purpose of this Act is to codify the work of the public health nurses.

Section 2. Chapter 321, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"PART . PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING BRANCH PROGRAM

§321-     Purpose. The purpose of this part is to statutorily establish the public health nursing branch program to recognize the roles and functions of the program in the delivery of direct clinical nursing services to the people of Hawaii.

§321-     Establishment of public health nursing branch program. There is established a public health nursing branch program to be administered by the department of health. The program shall:

(1) Mobilize the department's nursing resources and respond to catastrophic and traumatic emergency events, including but not limited to, natural disasters (for example, tsunami, hurricane, flooding) and biologic outbreak or exposure;

(2) Respond to communicable diseases and other public health outbreaks;

(3) Provide care coordination services to the most vulnerable populations of special needs infants, toddlers, children with complex medical conditions, as well as the elderly and other populations having difficulty accessing the health care system;

(4) Provide services that involve the family in collaboration and coordination with other agencies;

(5) Collaborate with the department of education and Hawaii Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics in the provision of school health services in addressing the medical and health conditions of students that impact on their learning;

(6) Develop collaborative partnerships with individuals, families, communities, and providers to improve the health and safety of the families and communities through assessment of community needs, setting priorities, and policy development, and

(7) Provide the safety net health care services when no other resources are available in the community;

(8) Collect and evaluate data that addresses family and community needs for nursing and health services delivery changes to enhance the quality of life for families.

§321-     Rules. The director of health shall adopt

rules pursuant to chapter 91 necessary for the purposes of this part."

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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