HCR126

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	126
TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002
STATE OF HAWAII

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HOUSE 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 facing a serious nursing shortage that will likely become worse over the next ten years; and

WHEREAS, there is a critical need for 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 compound the difficulty in recruiting and retaining nurses; and

WHEREAS, a 1999 study indicated 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 aged 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, 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; and

WHEREAS, there is a critical need to develop a strategic statewide nursing plan for Hawaii by:

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

(2) Creating a coordinated and economical database 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 a collaboration among educators, nurses, and employers to address issues related to work and practice settings, and to ensure that nursing education programs meet the future needs of the marketplace;

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

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

now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is requested to convene a working group and report its findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation that would establish a Center for Nursing, to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2003; 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 working group include, but not be limited to, representatives from:

(1) The Healthcare Association of Hawaii;

(2) The American Organization of Nurse Executives, Hawaii Chapter;

(3) The Community Initiative on Nursing in Hawaii;

(4) The Department of Health;

(5) The Hawaii Health Systems Corporation;

(6) The Hawaii Nurses Association;

(7) The Hawaii Government Employees Association;

(8) The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; and

(9) The Hawaii League for Nursing;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Center for Nursing