§334D-1 - Findings and purpose.

[§334D-1]  Findings and purpose. 
Nursing is a stressful occupation and some nurses may be tempted to escape the
pressures of their job by consuming alcohol or taking drugs.  Many times nurses
do not realize that they have developed a chemical dependency problem, and that
they need help before the problem gets worse. 

The legislature finds that there is no formal
peer program to assist nurses who have developed a chemical dependency
problem.  There is, however, an informal peer program operated by the Hawaii
Nurses Association.  This is a peer assistance program for nurses who have not
been reported to the department of commerce and consumer affairs because of a
chemical dependency problem.  The diversion program created by this chapter is
a component of the Hawaii Nurses Association’s peer assistance program, and is
intended for nurses who have been reported to the department of commerce and
consumer affairs.

The purpose of this chapter is to establish a
diversion program for nurses with chemical dependency problems and to place the
program under the auspices of the board of nursing for oversight purposes.  It
is the intent of this chapter that nurses who are abiding by the terms and
conditions of the diversion program shall not be subject to further disciplinary
action for their chemical dependency problems by the board of nursing. [L 1993,
c 106, pt of §1]