STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1523_______

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.C.R. No. 162
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Consumer Protection and
Commerce, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 162 entitled: 

     "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF
     HEALTH, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS
     CORPORATION AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII SCHOOL OF NURSING,
     TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM ENABLING NURSES EMPLOYED BY THE STATE
     OF HAWAII TO OBTAIN ADVANCED NURSING DEGREES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to provide
incentives for nurses to obtain advanced degrees by requesting
the Department of Heath (DOH), with the assistance of the Hawaii
Health Systems Corporation (Corporation) and the University of
Hawaii School of Nursing, to develop a program enabling public
sector nurses to obtain advanced nursing degrees.

     The Hawaii Government Employees Association and the Hawaii
Nurses' Association testified in support of this measure.  DOH
testified in support of the intent of this measure.  The
Corporation submitted comments.

     Offering incentives for an advanced nursing degree would be
beneficial not only to DOH, but also to other departments such as
the Department of Public Safety (DPS) as DPS moves forward in
developing an enhanced health program within its correctional
facilities; or the Department of Human Services as nurse
practitioners and clinical nurse specialists could assist in

 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1523_______
                                 Page 2

 
meeting the myriad of needs for intervention, support, and
primary health care at every stage of the life cycle.

     However, your Committees find that approximately six to
seven years ago, DOH had a program that supported registered
nurses in attaining advanced practice degrees, of which there
were ten graduates.  Because the State does not have job
classifications for advanced practice registered nurses (APRN),
all ten graduates left for the private sector for higher-paying
jobs.

     Your Committees believe that crucial to increasing the
number of APRNs within the public sector is the State's ability
to develop a job classification for these nurses.  Without a job
classification, APRNs in the system may not be utilized to the
fullest extent possible.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requesting the Department of Human Resources
          Development (DHRD) to develop job classifications for
          APRNs;

     (2)  Changing the title to read: "REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT
          OF HEALTH, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE HAWAII HEALTH
          SYSTEMS CORPORATION AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII SCHOOL
          OF NURSING, TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM ENABLING NURSES
          EMPLOYED BY THE STATE OF HAWAII TO OBTAIN ADVANCED
          NURSING DEGREES, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
          DEVELOPMENT TO DEVELOP JOB CLASSIFICATIONS FOR ADVANCED
          PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES";

     (3)  Explaining how graduates of the proposed program may be
          forced into the private sector because there are no job
          classification for APRNs;

     (4)  Clarifying that APRNs will be able to provide nursing
          services they were educated to provide when APRN
          classifications are created;

     (5)  Asking DHRD to submit its findings and recommendations
          to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to
          the convening of the Regular Session of 2000;

     (6)  Transmitting a certified copy of this concurrent
          resolution to the Director of Human Resources
          Development; and


 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1523_______
                                 Page 3

 
     (7)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Health and Consumer Protection and Commerce that
are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the
intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 162, as amended herein, and
recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the
form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 162, H.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Health and
                                   Consumer Protection and
                                   Commerce,

                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
RON MENOR, Chair                   ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Chair