Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 22 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to improve health care safety by addressing the critical shortage of nurses in Hawaii. This concurrent resolution requests that the Hawaii State Center for Nursing (HSCFN) at the University of Hawaii investigate and recommend a multifaceted approach to ensure an adequate and continuous number of nurses are available to staff our health care facilities.

The University of Hawaii's School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, Hawaii Nurses Association, and HSCFN supported this concurrent resolution. The Hawaii Government Employees Association supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committee finds that recruitment and retention of registered nurses is critical in addressing this shortage of nurses in our health care facilities and action must be taken. HSCFN is optimally placed within our university system to spearhead this initiative and succeed in this challenge to produce a new generation of nurses in Hawaii who are strong in both their numbers and skills.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 22 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Higher Education.