Bill Text: HI HCR120 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requesting The University Of Hawaii To Investigate And Address The Feasibility And Accessibility Of A Nursing Program At Honolulu Community College.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 18-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-03-14 - Referred to HHH, HET, referral sheet 27 [HCR120 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2022-HCR120-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	120
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the university of hawaii to investigate and address the feasibility and accessibility of a nursing program at honolulu community college.

 

 

     WHEREAS, nursing demands in the State have increased significantly, which is further exacerbated by a dire statewide nursing shortage; and

 

     WHEREAS, nursing vacancies have a negative effect on patient access, quality of care, and nurses' morale; and

 

     WHEREAS, Kalihi, which encompasses the surrounding neighborhoods of Iwilei, Palama, and Liliha, has a large number of Oahu's most vulnerable populations including individuals with chronic health conditions and individuals experiencing homelessness; and

 

     WHEREAS, vulnerable populations within Kalihi and the surrounding area are more prone to developing health problems such as diseases of the extremities and skin disorders, and face an increased risk of physical assault or sexual violence; and

 

     WHEREAS, there are insufficient qualified health care professionals, including nurses, in Kalihi to address and fulfill physical and mental health care needs for individuals with chronic health conditions or experiencing homelessness; and

 

     WHEREAS, numerous licensed assisted living homes, including Level 1 adult residential care homes, community care foster family homes and long-term care facilities, operate in Kalihi and the surrounding neighborhoods; and

 

     WHEREAS, currently, Kapiolani Community College offers the only community college-level nursing program within urban Honolulu; and

 

     WHEREAS, a 2017 study published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science found that medicine rotations in inner-city areas did not impact attitudes towards individuals with chronic health conditions or experiencing homelessness; and

 

     WHEREAS, providing students from Kalihi and the surrounding neighborhoods with opportunities to participate in rotations with health care providers in the area may address vacancies in the ongoing nursing shortage, offer students educational and professional opportunities closer to home, and allow students to work closely with community partners experiencing critical needs to support vulnerable populations; and

 

     WHEREAS, the ability to empathize and understand the needs of vulnerable individuals undergoing treatment creates opportunities to understand the complexity of providing medical care, improves cross-cultural communication skills, and provides a stronger network of health care providers with a unique understanding of the community; and

 

     WHEREAS, developing a nursing program within Honolulu Community College may also motivate students to pursue education beyond a community college-level education, which may lead to an increase of highly skilled nurses in the State; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, the Senate concurring, that the University of Hawaii is requested to examine the feasibility and accessibility of the development and implementation of a nursing program at Honolulu Community College; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the University of Hawaii System, Vice President for Community

Colleges of the University of Hawaii, Chancellor of Honolulu Community College, and Chairperson of the Kalihi-Palama Neighborhood Board.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

University of Hawaii; Honolulu Community College; Nursing Program; Feasibility; Report