§1161d — Title 20 Education | U.S. Code

Summary

Gives money to colleges with accredited nursing programs so they can add teachers, classrooms, or clinical spots to take more nursing students. Colleges can get grants to expand bachelor’s or associate nursing programs, or to grow graduate programs for advanced practice nurses or for nurses training to become teachers. To apply, a college must figure the average number of enrolled nursing students for the four academic years before the year they want help. The college must send an application with that average and any other information the federal official in charge asks for. If the college partners with a hospital or health facility, it must promise that students in the program are registered nurses working toward a master’s or doctorate, that they have a contract with the hospital, that the hospital will be their clinical site if needed, that the nurses will keep at least part-time work and pay with flexible time to attend school, and that any scholarship recipients will teach in an accredited nursing school for two years for each year they were supported. Each year after academic year 2009–2010, a college’s grant can equal $3,000 times the number of new matriculated nursing students above its four-year average. Of the money each year, 20% must go to graduate nursing programs, 40% to bachelor’s nursing programs, and 40% to associate degree nursing programs. Grants can fund partnerships to buy distance-learning tech, study and share outcome data, pay release time or faculty salaries, or give scholarships so nurses can earn pay while earning advanced degrees. No more than 10% of the funds may be used for those partnership items. Money cannot pay to build new buildings but can repair or renovate facilities. “Health facility” means places like hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, home health agencies, and similar care sites. The words “accredited” and “school of nursing” use the meanings in Public Health Service Act section 801. Funds are authorized as needed for fiscal year 2009 and the five years after that.

Title 20, §1161d

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)From the amounts appropriated under subsection (f), the Secretary shall award grants to institutions of higher education that offer—

(1)an accredited registered nursing program at the baccalaureate or associate degree level to enable such program to expand the faculty and facilities of such program to accommodate additional students in such program; or

(2)an accredited graduate-level nursing program to accommodate advanced practice degrees for registered nurses or to accommodate students enrolled in such program to become teachers of nursing students.

(b)Each institution of higher education that offers a program described in subsection (a) that desires to receive a grant under this section shall—

(1)determine, for the four academic years preceding the academic year for which the determination is made, the average number of matriculated nursing program students, in each of the institution’s accredited associate, baccalaureate, or advanced nursing degree programs at such institution for such academic years;

(2)submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require, including the average number in each of the institution’s accredited nursing programs determined under paragraph (1); and

(3)with respect to the partnerships described in subsection (c)(2)(B), provide assurances that—

(A)the individuals enrolled in the program will—

(i)be registered nurses in pursuit of a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing; and

(ii)have a contractual obligation with the hospital or health facility that is in partnership with the institution of higher education;

(B)the hospital or health facility of employment will be the clinical site for the accredited school of nursing program, if the program requires a clinical site;

(C)individuals enrolled in the program will—

(i)maintain their employment on at least a part-time basis with the hospital or health facility that allowed them to participate in the program; and

(ii)receive an income from the hospital or health facility, as at least a part-time employee, and release times or flexible schedules, to accommodate their program requirements, as necessary; and

(D)upon completion of the program, recipients of scholarships described in subsection (c)(2)(B)(ii)(III) will be required to teach for two years in an accredited school of nursing for each year of support the individual received under this section.

(c)(1)For each academic year after academic year 2009–2010, the Secretary is authorized to provide to each institution of higher education awarded a grant under this section an amount that is equal to $3,000 multiplied by the number by which—

(A)the number of matriculated nursing program students at such institution for such academic year, exceeds

(B)the average number determined with respect to such institution under subsection (b)(1).

(2)(A)Subject to subparagraph (D), from the funds available to award grants under this section for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall—

(i)use 20 percent of such funds to award grants under this section to institutions of higher education for the purpose of accommodating advanced practice degrees or students in accredited graduate-level nursing programs;

(ii)use 40 percent of such funds to award grants under this section to institutions of higher education for the purpose of expanding accredited registered nurse programs at the baccalaureate degree level; and

(iii)use 40 percent of such funds to award grants under this section to institutions of higher education for the purpose of expanding accredited registered nurse programs at the associate degree level.

(B)Grants awarded under this section may be used to support partnerships with hospitals or health facilities to—

(i)improve the alignment between nursing education and the emerging challenges of health care delivery by—

(I)the purchase of distance learning technologies and expanding methods of delivery of instruction to include alternatives to onsite learning; and

(II)the collection, analysis, and dissemination of data on educational outcomes and best practices identified through the activities described in this section; and

(ii)ensure that students can earn a salary while obtaining an advanced degree in nursing with the goal of becoming nurse faculty by—

(I)funding release time for qualified nurses enrolled in the graduate nursing program;

(II)providing for faculty salaries; or

(III)providing scholarships to qualified nurses in pursuit of an advanced degree with the goal of becoming faculty members in an accredited nursing program.

(C)In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall consider the following:

(i)Providing an equitable geographic distribution of such grants.

(ii)Distributing such grants to urban and rural areas.

(iii)Ensuring that the activities to be assisted are developed for a range of types and sizes of institutions of higher education, including institutions providing alternative methods of delivery of instruction in addition to on-site learning.

(D)If, for a fiscal year, funds described in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of subparagraph (A) remain available after the Secretary awards grants under this section to all applicants for the particular category of accredited nursing programs described in such clause, the Secretary shall use equal amounts of the remaining funds to award grants under this section to applicants that applied under the other categories of nursing programs.

(E)Of the amount appropriated to carry out this section, the Secretary may award not more than ten percent of such amount for the optional purposes under subparagraph (B).

(d)For purposes of this section:

(1)The term “health facility” means an Indian health service center, a Native Hawaiian health center, a hospital, a federally qualified health center, a rural health clinic, a nursing home, a home health agency, a hospice program, a public health clinic, a State or local department of public health, a skilled nursing facility, or an ambulatory surgical center.

(2)The terms “accredited” and “school of nursing” have the meanings given those terms in section 801 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296).

(e)(1)Funds provided under this section may not be used for the construction of new facilities.

(2)Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to prohibit funds provided under this section from being used for the repair or renovation of facilities.

(f)There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009 and each of the five succeeding fiscal years.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2009—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 111–39 substituted “Definitions” for “Definition” in heading, added par. (2), and struck out former par. (2). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The terms ‘accredited school of nursing’ and ‘accredited nursing program’ have the meaning given those terms in section 296 of title 42.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2009 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 111–39 effective as if enacted on the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–315 (Aug. 14, 2008), see section 3 of Pub. L. 111–39, set out as a note under section 1001 of this title.

§1161d Capacity for nursing students and faculty