Hawaii is calling all nurses whether they are licensed to practice in the state or not.
Gov. David Ige signed emergency authorization allowing out-of-state nurses to temporarily practice in Hawaii without owning an in-state license, according to an Aug. 11 news release. The nurses must meet certain criteria, but once approved, the nurses are free to seek temporary employment in the state.
“The COVID-19 virus continues to cause a strain on the state’s healthcare system with hospitals throughout our communities reporting serious staffing challenges and conditions,” Ige said in the release. “This action addresses the immediate peril to public health and ensures that medical professionals may focus on providing critical care to patients.”
Ige approved and signed the emergency rules that amend Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 16-89 which had required ownership of an in-state license to practice in the state, the release stated. Nurses still must substantiate their professionalism and experience to a hiring health care facility.
“Each health care entity would submit a credentialed list containing the names of each participating nurse, the nurse’s home state, a residential address, an email address, the nurse’s active license number, and a signed verification that the nurse meets certain established criteria set forth in the emergency rules,” the release stated.
Enacted through the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the rules are effective immediately for a period of up to 120 days. The nurse’s authorization to practice shall be valid for a period of 90 days after the required confirmation.
“We thank the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the Department of Health, and Gov. Ige for understanding the urgent need for additional healthcare staff in Hawaii,” Healthcare Association of Hawaii President and CEO, Hilton Raethel, said in the release. “We are very appreciative of the work done by the state to identify this solution.”
To qualify as a practicing nurse in Hawaii under the emergency authorization, nurses must hold an active nursing license in another state; the license cannot be encumbered, and the nurse must have zero liability or malpractice insurance claims or lawsuits pending, according to the rules. Each health care facility will be responsible for the “actions or inactions” of each nurse.
“Our hospitals continue to be very full, and we continue to have significant numbers of staff out because of exposure to COVID-19, or with COVID-19 symptoms," Raethel said. "This will allow us to bring in the staff we need to continue to ensure that our patients and community receive the care they need.”