STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1621

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.R. No. 50
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Education
and Technology, to which was referred S.R. No. 50 entitled:

     "SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE
     HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS CORPORATION, THE HAWAII NURSES'
     ASSOCIATION AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII SCHOOL OF NURSING
     TO DEVELOP A PLAN THAT WILL ELIMINATE OR GREATLY REDUCE
     NEEDLESTICK INJURIES INCURRED BY NURSES AND OTHER HEALTH
     CARE WORKERS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of
Health (DOH), Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC), Hawaii
Nurses' Association (HNA), and the University of Hawaii School of
Nursing (UH) to develop a plan that will eliminate or greatly
reduce needlestick injuries incurred by nurses and other health
care workers.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this
measure from the HHSC, UH, Hawaii Government Employees
Association, and Hawaii Nurses' Association.  Testimony in
opposition was received from the DOH.

     Needlestick injuries pose a serious health and safety
concern for nurses because of the possibility of transmitting
diseases, such as hepatitis B and C, HIV, and AIDS.  These
diseases are often fatal to nurses who incur needlestick
injuries.  Nurses comprise twenty-four per cent of the cases of
HIV infection among health care workers known or thought to have

 
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been infected by a needlestick.  This measure is intended to
facilitate the elimination or minimization of needlestick
injuries for Hawaii's nurses through the use of safer medical
devices and safer workplace practices.  

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the title and inserting a title to urge the
          development and use of workplace safety protocols
          addressing needlestick injuries;

     (2)  Clarifying that all health care systems have in place
          by January 1, 2000, workplace safety protocols
          addressing needlestick injuries and safer medical
          devices, including retractable syringes, to assure
          workplace safety;

     (3)  Deleting Resolved language referring to development of
          a plan of action and prevention plan, and to a report
          to the Legislature; and

     (4)  Adding organizations to the transmittal clause.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Health and Human Services and Education and
Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees
concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 50, as amended
herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as
S.R. No. 50, S.D. 1.

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



____________________________       ______________________________
DAVID Y. IGE, Chair                SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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