HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	100
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO CONDUCT AN ANALYSIS OF ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes that there is a physician shortage in the State and this often leaves rural communities with challenges to health care access; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Legislature is currently looking at different legislation to expand the scope of practice for advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants; and

 

     WHEREAS, according to the Hawaii State Center for Nursing, since 2009, the Legislature has passed twenty-two laws related to the scope of practice of advance practice registered nurses; and

 

     WHEREAS, the 2021 Legislature has or is considering five measures related to expanding the scope of practice for advance practice registered nurses in a variety of ways in Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, it is challenging to expand the scope of practice for advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants without a holistic view of what their scope of practice could and should be in Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, there is a need to make clear distinctions to understand the differences between physicians, advanced practice registered nurses, and physician assistants and what each profession's scope of practice in Hawaii should be; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2021, that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to conduct an analysis of advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in its analysis, the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to include the following:

 

     (1)  The full scope of practice for advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants based on national professional guidelines;

 

     (2)  The distinctions between the educational training and scope of practice between physicians, advanced practice registered nurses, and physician assistants;

 

     (3)  An examination of potential scope of practice limitations for advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants in the Hawaii Administrative Rules; and

 

     (4)  A comparative study of how Hawaii differs from other states regarding the scope of practice for advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to submit a report of its findings to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the Regular Session of 2022; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Report Title: 

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses; Physician Assistants; Analysis; Legislative Reference Bureau