Hawaii

Nurses, advocates call for mandated patient care standards in Hawaii

Published

10 months ago

January 16, 2025

Nurses, advocates call for mandated patient care standards in Hawaii

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Nurses and advocates rallied at the state Capitol Thursday for the need to improve patient care and strengthen Hawaii’s health care system.

Representatives from Hawaii’s three major nurses unions — the Hawaii Nurses’ Association, Hawaii Nurses and Healthcare Professionals, and the United Nurses and Health Care Employees of Hawaii — were joined by legislators, and labor and community leaders.

Their call includes legislation aimed at ensuring safer staffing and enhancing patient safety and quality of care in hospitals.

State Rep. Sean Quinlan, House majority leader, says he’s introducing what’s called the Hawaii Safe Staffing Proposal, which would establish enforceable patient-to-nurse ratios, ensure transparency, and improve accountability in hospital staffing practices.

“Unfortunately, I know from my own experience in my life that nurses are such a critical part of any stay in a hospital, especially an extended stay, and I want to make sure that the public understands that this is not about the nurses. This is about the patients that they serve,” he said.

Advocates say Hawaii lacks vital protections, forcing health care workers to face systemic challenges that compromise patient outcomes.

Rosalee Agas-Yuu, RN, president of the Hawaii Nurses’ Association became emotional when talking about recent contact battles with Kapiolani Medical Center and The Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu, and now Wilcox Medical Center on Kauai.

“I’m listening to 140 nurses at Wilcox on Kauai fighting for the ratio, so please understand, this is important. We want it all equal across Hawaii,” Agas-Yuu said. “This is for the state of Hawaii. We shouldn’t have to fight like this at every battle. Every negotiation should be the same everywhere.”

Christian Fern, executive director, University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA) AFT Local 6625, said: “When our keiki or kupuna enter a hospital, we shouldn’t have to worry whether a nurse will be available to give them the attention they need for their recovery or to identify symptoms that require immediate intervention. That’s what we pay for. This law will sent a standard for all hospitals across our state and will ensure our ohana will receive quality care and ensure all of Hawaii’s valued nurses are treated fairly and equitably.”

The hospitals say patient safety is their top priority.

In a statement Tuesday, Wilcox Medical Center president and CEO Jen Chahanovich said in part: “Each medical center is different with its own support teams. Our Medical Surgical unit cares for a variety of conditions. That is why we are proposing to work together with our nurses to adjust staffing levels as needed through a staffing council using national standards.”

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Hawaii

Life of a beloved kumu hula celebrated on Kauai in a fond farewell

Published

4 hours ago

November 2, 2025

Press Room

Life of a beloved kumu hula celebrated on Kauai in a fond farewell

LIHUE (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hula, memories and aloha filled the Kilohana Plantation grounds Saturday as hundreds turned out to honor the life of Jonelle Marie Leināʻala Pavao-Jardin.

She died on Oct. 4 at the age of 51 after a 15-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

“I knew my mom was such an amazing person, but she lived such a humble, humble life, so truly I didn’t know what to expect today, how many people would be here, but it’s felt so nice,” said her daughter, Jeslie Pavao.

The Kauaʻi community gathered to celebrate the life of kumu hula Leināʻala Pavao-Jardin Saturday.(Hawaii News Now)

As kumu hula for the award-winning Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leināʻala, she touched countless lives over her nearly 30 years of teaching hula.

Generations of her dancers took the stage one last time for their kumu at her celebration of life.

“She was always kind. Even when we were dancing together with Kumu Ray, she was always funny, so much fun to be around. Just her spirit. She was always light. She was always so easy to get along with,” said Keano Kaupu, longtime friend and kumu hula of Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua.

The celebration not only honored her life and rich legacy of hula, and highlighted her very strong sense of faith in that got her through so many of life’s challenges.

Daughter Jeslie said, “I went back to medical school two days after my mom passed. They asked me how I’ve done it and it’s really because of my faith in God and if I didn’t have my faith, I wouldn’t be OK and that truly comes from my mom and how she raised us to just trust Ke Akua, love him and follow his journey for us.”

Musician and longtime friend Ikaika Blackburn said, “She grew up surrounded by the warmth of her close-knit family where her parents instilled in her the values of love, kindness, generosity, and resilience that she carried with her and shared with each of us throughout her life.”

“That phrase, live like Leināʻala, so true. If you think of life like that, you going be happy,” said Kumu Keano.

As Kauai mourns the loss of her physical presence, they says her spirit will live on forever through the heart of the halau, now led by her daughter, Kumu Breeze Pavao.

Kumu Leināʻala leaves behind her husband, Sean, daughters Breeze and Jeslie, and son Napali.

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Hawaii

Kapiolani Medical Center nurses stand in solidarity with fellow staff on strike

Published

1 day ago

October 31, 2025

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Kapiolani Medical Center nurses stand in solidarity with fellow staff on strike

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Nurses and respiratory therapists with the Hawaii Nurses’ Association presented a petition to Hawaii Pacific Health and Kapiolani Medical Center leaders, Friday, urging them to reach a resolution with staff currently on strike.

The hospital’s technicians, housekeeping staff, dietary team members, and others had been on strike for two weeks when the nurses and respiratory therapists intervened on behalf of their co-workers.

Nurses at Kapiolani Medical Center were locked out of their jobs for 22 days after they went on strike in September.

Nurses are urging hospital leaders to “put mothers, children and babies ahead of their own financial self-interests, return to the bargaining table to negotiate in good faith, and provide fair compensation for the employees represented by the Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Employees, Local 996.”

Full petition from Hawaii Nurses’ Association.(HNN)

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Hawaii

Hawaii nonprofits seek $150M to blunt Trump spending cuts

Published

2 days ago

October 31, 2025

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Hawaii nonprofits seek 0M to blunt Trump spending cuts

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Leaders from 213 nonprofit organizations testified at the Hawaii State Capitol Thursday, seeking emergency funding as federal spending cuts impact Hawaii’s charity and human service sector more severely than anticipated.

Lawmakers set aside $50 million in May for nonprofits affected by Trump administration spending cuts, but organizations requested more than $150 million from the fund.

“We had, you know, over $150 million in requests, you know, for $50 million pot. So I think that should just show you the need out there. A lot of community members going hungry,” said state Rep. Daniel Holt, co-chair of the emergency grants committee.

Organizations detail funding shortfalls

The West Hawaii Community Health Center requested $1.8 million “to stabilize and sustain this workforce, jobs and keep people healthy,” said CEO Richard Taaffe.

Kids Hurt Too sought $394,500. “Since the funding cuts, we have expanded our peer support, mentoring, and community activities for grieving and traumatized youth and families,” said executive director Walker Rowsey.

“We are humbly requesting $350,000 to help Hawaii’s most disadvantaged youth,” said Cathy Ogawa of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Alu Like reported a $189,403 cut in Department of Labor federal funding. “Our employment and training program, which was forced to reduce staff work hours by 20% to address the $189,403 cut in our Department of Labor federal funding,” said CEO Mervina K.M. Cash-Kaeo.

Lawmakers face difficult decisions

“We’re gonna try and prioritize, you know, needs in our community, you know, food is definitely important, you know, health care, things of those things,” Holt said.

The requests come as federal food aid remains stalled and tens of thousands of federal workers live without paychecks.

“I feel like we are getting punched in the gut multiple times, right, from all directions,” said state Rep. Lisa Marten, chair of Human Services.

Republican state Sen. Brenton Awa was asked if Trump can be blamed for the crises said partisan politics should not affect people’s needs.

“It’s sad that we live in a time where party politics has to be this divisive at the cost of people. And, you know, what we got into office for was to represent people. So when we see this, this is the kind of stuff that makes us sick,” he said.

Revenue generation under consideration

The funding shortage could prompt lawmakers to seek additional revenue from taxpayers.

“Things always have to be relooked at. When they’re on such a large scale, you know, we always could use additional revenue generation, which we’re always looking at, but that’s always tough,” Holt said.

Marten said everything should be on the table.

“We have to look at the big picture and see what can we find and what can’t we find? Because replacing all federal programs with state funds isn’t possible,” she said.

Lawmakers had reserved a day for a potential special session in late November to address federal budget cuts, but will now most likely wait until the regular session begins in January.

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