STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3678

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.C.R. No. 277

       H.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Health and Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 277, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII STATE CENTER FOR NURSING TO ENCOURAGE PARTIES TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOAL OF INCREASING THE SUPPLY OF WELL-EDUCATED AND DEDICATED NURSES,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Hawaii State Center for Nursing to work together with the relevant parties to increase the supply of nursing professionals in Hawaii.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii System, Hawaii Government Employees Association, The Queen's Medical Center, Hawaii State Center for Nursing, Hawaii Pacific University, University of Hawaii Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, Hawaii Statewide Nursing Consortium, and thirty five registered nurses from Kona, Hilo, Kauai, and Oahu, and Leahi Hospital.

 

     Your Committees find that from the years 2006-2020, the demand for registered nurses in Hawaii is expected to grow by twenty-eight per cent, while the supply of registered nurses is expected to grow by only nine per cent, resulting in a relative shortfall of nineteen per cent.

 

     Your Committees further find that the main factor in the widening gap between the supply and demand of Hawaii's registered nurses over the next fifteen years will be the retirement of nurses over fifty years of age.

 

     Your Committees therefore recognize the importance of bringing the relevant parties and stakeholders together to address the future critical shortage of Hawaii's nursing professionals.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 277, H.D. 2, and recommend its adoption.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Education,

 

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair