Bill Text: HI SB2592 | 2018 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Nurse Aides.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-05 - The committee on HMS deferred the measure. [SB2592 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2018-SB2592-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2592 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to nurse aides.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that an estimated twenty-seven thousand individuals in the State suffer from Alzheimer's disease, a progressive brain disease that is the sixth leading cause of death in the nation. Alzheimer's disease affects a person's memory, and it eventually causes the individual to experience difficulties with speech and language skills, vision, decision-making, and many other daily activities such as eating and grooming. The legislature further finds that the results of the 2015 Hawaii Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey indicate that forty-one per cent of individuals who admitted to having memory problems stated that they gave up their day-to-day activities due to their memory problems. Furthermore, twenty-eight per cent of those who indicated that they had memory problems stated that they needed assistance with day-to-day activities.
The legislature further finds that, due to the nature of Alzheimer's disease and the individual sufferer's extensive need for assistance with daily living activities, there is a high demand for in-home care, adult day care, assisted living facilities, and care homes. Assistance for the majority of the daily life activities at these facilities is performed by nurse aides, also known as nursing assistants.
The legislature further finds that recertification requirements administered by the department of commerce and consumer affairs currently include:
(1) Eight hours of employment performing nursing or nursing-related services involving direct patient care under the supervision of a licensed or registered nurse within the relevant health care setting; and
(2) Twenty-four hours of competency training, as approved by the department of human services, for nurse aides who work in a state-licensed or state-certified health care setting other than a medicare or medicaid certified nursing facility.
The legislature finds that the complexities of the recertification process prevent a significant number of otherwise qualified nurse aides from being certified.
Creating an alternative path to recertify nurse aides who work in a state-licensed or state-certified health care setting other than a medicare or medicaid certified nursing facility would simplify recertification requirements and increase the pool of nurse aides who may serve patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia.
The purpose of this Act is to expand the recertification options for nurse aides who work in a state-licensed or state-certified health care setting other than a medicare or medicaid certified nursing facility by requiring the nurse aides to complete either:
(1) A competency evaluation approved by the department of human services; or
(2) Eight hours of dementia training, with a passing score on a competency examination on the dementia training.
SECTION 2. Section 457A-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (e) to read as follows:
"(e) Maintenance requirements for the
recertification process shall be required on a biennial basis and shall include
[a competency evaluation approved by the department of human services, and]
employment in a state-licensed or state-certified health care setting[.]
and either:
(1) A competency
evaluation approved by the department of human services; or
(2) Eight hours of dementia training and a passing score on a competency examination on the dementia training."
SECTION 3. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.
SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2019.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Nurse Aides; Recertification
Description:
Adds dementia training and a passing score on an examination on that training as an option for the recertification of nurse aides working in state-licensed and state-certified health care settings other than medicare or medicaid certified nursing facilities.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
