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Bill 48

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                      48
Type of Legislation:              Concurrent Resolution CR
Introducing Body:                 Senate
Introduced Date:                  19990112
Primary Sponsor:                  Giese
All Sponsors:                     Giese, Elliott, Hayes, Rankin, Reese
Drafted Document Number:          l:\council\bills\psd\7024ac99.doc
Residing Body:                    Senate
Current Committee:                Medical Affairs Committee 13 SMA
Subject:                          Nursing aides, to recruit and retain for 
                                  needs assessments in residential care 
                                  facilities; Area Health Education


                        History

Body    Date      Action Description                     Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  ______________________________________ _______ ____________
Senate  19990112  Introduced, referred to Committee      13 SMA
Senate  19981118  Prefiled, referred to Committee        13 SMA


                             Versions of This Bill

REQUESTING THE SOUTH CAROLINA AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CONSORTIUM IN CONDUCTING ITS STATEWIDE NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF ALL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO EXAMINE THE PROBLEMS OF THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF NURSES AIDES IN SOUTH CAROLINA NURSING HOMES AND TO REPORT ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2000.

Whereas, eighty percent of care in nursing homes is provided by nurses aides, and turnover rates for nursing aides in long-term care are as high as one hundred percent in a two-year period; and

Whereas, nurses aides are serving sicker and more severely handicapped patients due to the trend to keep patients at home and served by home and community health services as long as possible; and

Whereas, long-term care facilities have great difficulty in finding nurses aides to fill openings; and

Whereas, care for advanced dementia patients is difficult and poorly rewarded; and

Whereas, increased workloads in long-term care are demanding more health providers; and

Whereas, our single elderly often have only their personal care nurses aides to depend on, as families are often not available; and

Whereas, the pay scale for nursing aides is comparable to unskilled fast food workers; and

Whereas, South Carolina's aging population is growing and will continue to increase as the baby boomers approach the ranks of senior citizens; and

Whereas, South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium (AHEC) is currently involved in a statewide health profession needs assessment of all health professionals including licensed and unlicensed providers under an enhanced AHEC contract. The health profession planning under the enhanced contract will focus on health care skills and competencies to serve the population in critical areas of health needs which include geriatric care. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:

That by this resolution, the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina requests the South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium, in conducting its statewide needs assessment of all health professionals, to examine the problem of recruitment and retention of nurses aides in South Carolina nursing homes and to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly before January 1, 2000.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium.

This web page was last updated on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 9:03 A.M.