[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5924 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5924
To provide relief for the shortage of nurses in the United States, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 29, 2008
Mr. Wexler (for himself and Mr. Sensenbrenner) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in
addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide relief for the shortage of nurses in the United States, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Emergency Nursing Supply Relief
Act''.
SEC. 2. NURSING SHORTAGE RELIEF.
(a) Increasing Visa Numbers.--Section 106 of the American
Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 (Public Law
106-313; 8 U.S.C. 1153 note) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(e) Visa Shortage Relief for Nurses and Physical Therapists.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), for petitions
filed during the period beginning on the date of the enactment
of the Emergency Nursing Supply Relief Act and ending on
September 30, 2011, for employment-based immigrants (and their
family members accompanying or following to join under section
203(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1153(d)), which are or have been approved based on Schedule A,
Group I as defined in section 656.5 of title 20, Code of
Federal Regulations, as promulgated by the Secretary of Labor,
the numerical limitations set forth in sections 201(d) and
202(a) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(d) and 1152(a)) shall not
apply.
``(2) Limitation on number of visas.--The Secretary of
State may not issue more than 20,000 immigrant visa numbers in
any one fiscal year (plus any available visa numbers under this
paragraph not used during the preceding fiscal year) to
principal beneficiaries of petitions pursuant to paragraph (1).
``(3) Expedited review.--The Secretary of Homeland Security
shall provide a process for reviewing and acting upon petitions
with respect to immigrants described in paragraph (1) not later
than 30 days after the date on which a completed petition has
been filed.
``(f) Fee for Use of Visas Under Subsection (a).--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
impose a fee upon each petitioning employer who uses a visa
provided under subsection (e) to provide employment for an
alien as a professional nurse, except that--
``(A) such fee shall be in the amount of $1,500 for
each such alien nurse (but not for dependents
accompanying or following to join who are not
professional nurses); and
``(B) no fee shall be imposed for the use of such
visas if the employer demonstrates to the Secretary
that--
``(i) the employer is a health care
facility that is located in a county or parish
that received individual and public assistance
pursuant to Major Disaster Declaration number
1603 or 1607; or
``(ii) the employer is a health care
facility that has been designated as a Health
Professional Shortage Area facility by the
Secretary of Health and Human Services as
defined in section 332 of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e).
``(2) Fee collection.--A fee imposed by the Secretary of
Homeland Security pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be collected
by the Secretary as a condition of approval of an application
for adjustment of status by the beneficiary of a petition or by
the Secretary of State as a condition of issuance of a visa to
such beneficiary.''.
(b) Capitation Grants To Increase the Number of Nursing Faculty and
Students; Domestic Nursing Enhancement Account.--Part D of title VIII
of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296p et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 832. CAPITATION GRANTS.
``(a) In General.--For the purpose described in subsection (b), the
Secretary, acting through the Health Resources and Services
Administration, shall award a grant each fiscal year in an amount
determined in accordance with subsection (c) to each eligible school of
nursing that submits an application in accordance with this section.
``(b) Purpose.--A funding agreement for a grant under this section
is that the eligible school of nursing involved will expend the grant
to increase the number of nursing faculty and students at the school,
including by hiring new faculty, retaining current faculty, purchasing
educational equipment and audiovisual laboratories, enhancing clinical
laboratories, repairing and expanding infrastructure, or recruiting
students.
``(c) Grant Computation.--
``(1) Amount per student.--Subject to paragraph (2), the
amount of a grant to an eligible school of nursing under this
section for a fiscal year shall be the total of the following:
``(A) $1,800 for each full-time or part-time
student who is enrolled at the school in a graduate
program in nursing that--
``(i) leads to a master's degree, a
doctoral degree, or an equivalent degree; and
``(ii) prepares individuals to serve as
faculty through additional course work in
education and ensuring competency in an
advanced practice area.
``(B) $1,405 for each full-time or part-time
student who--
``(i) is enrolled at the school in a
program in nursing leading to a bachelor of
science degree, a bachelor of nursing degree, a
graduate degree in nursing if such program does
not meet the requirements of subparagraph (A),
or an equivalent degree; and
``(ii) has not more than 3 years of
academic credits remaining in the program.
``(C) $966 for each full-time or part-time student
who is enrolled at the school in a program in nursing
leading to an associate degree in nursing or an
equivalent degree.
``(2) Limitation.--In calculating the amount of a grant to
a school under paragraph (1), the Secretary may not make a
payment with respect to a particular student--
``(A) for more than 2 fiscal years in the case of a
student described in paragraph (1)(A) who is enrolled
in a graduate program in nursing leading to a master's
degree or an equivalent degree;
``(B) for more than 4 fiscal years in the case of a
student described in paragraph (1)(A) who is enrolled
in a graduate program in nursing leading to a doctoral
degree or an equivalent degree;
``(C) for more than 3 fiscal years in the case of a
student described in paragraph (1)(B); or
``(D) for more than 2 fiscal years in the case of a
student described in paragraph (1)(C).
``(d) Eligibility.--In this section, the term `eligible school of
nursing' means a school of nursing that--
``(1) is accredited by a nursing accrediting agency
recognized by the Secretary of Education;
``(2) has a passage rate on the National Council Licensure
Examination for Registered Nurses of not less than 80 percent
for each of the 3 academic years preceding submission of the
grant application; and
``(3) has a graduation rate (based on the number of
students in a class who graduate relative to, for a
baccalaureate program, the number of students who were enrolled
in the class at the beginning of junior year or, for an
associate degree program, the number of students who were
enrolled in the class at the end of the first year) of not less
than 80 percent for each of the 3 academic years preceding
submission of the grant application.
``(e) Requirements.--The Secretary may award a grant under this
section to an eligible school of nursing only if the school gives
assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that, for each academic year
for which the grant is awarded, the school will comply with the
following:
``(1) The school will maintain a passage rate on the
National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses of
not less than 80 percent.
``(2) The school will maintain a graduation rate (as
described in subsection (d)(3)) of not less than 80 percent.
``(3)(A) Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), the first-
year enrollment of full-time nursing students in the school
will exceed such enrollment for the preceding academic year by
5 percent or 5 students, whichever is greater.
``(B) Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to the first
academic year for which a school receives a grant under this
section.
``(C) With respect to any academic year, the Secretary may
waive application of subparagraph (A) if--
``(i) the physical facilities at the school
involved limit the school from enrolling additional
students; or
``(ii) the school has increased enrollment in the
school (as described in subparagraph (A)) for each of
the 2 preceding academic years.
``(4) Not later than 1 year after receiving a grant under
this section, the school will formulate and implement a plan to
accomplish at least 2 of the following:
``(A) Establishing or significantly expanding an
accelerated baccalaureate degree nursing program
designed to graduate new nurses in 12 to 18 months.
``(B) Establishing cooperative intradisciplinary
education among schools of nursing with a view toward
shared use of technological resources, including
information technology.
``(C) Establishing cooperative interdisciplinary
training between schools of nursing and schools of
allied health, medicine, dentistry, osteopathy,
optometry, podiatry, pharmacy, public health, or
veterinary medicine, including training for the use of
the interdisciplinary team approach to the delivery of
health services.
``(D) Integrating core competencies on evidence-
based practice, quality improvements, and patient-
centered care.
``(E) Increasing admissions, enrollment, and
retention of qualified individuals who are financially
disadvantaged.
``(F) Increasing enrollment of minority and diverse
student populations.
``(G) Increasing enrollment of new graduate
baccalaureate nursing students in graduate programs
that educate nurse faculty members.
``(H) Developing post-baccalaureate residency
programs to prepare nurses for practice in specialty
areas where nursing shortages are most severe.
``(I) Increasing integration of geriatric content
into the core curriculum.
``(J) Partnering with economically disadvantaged
communities to provide nursing education.
``(K) Expanding the ability of nurse managed health
centers to provide clinical education training sites to
nursing students.
``(5) The school will submit an annual report to the
Secretary that includes updated information on the school with
respect to student enrollment, student retention, graduation
rates, passage rates on the National Council Licensure
Examination for Registered Nurses, the number of graduates
employed as nursing faculty or nursing care providers within 12
months of graduation, and the number of students who are
accepted into graduate programs for further nursing education.
``(6) The school will allow the Secretary to make on-site
inspections, and will comply with the Secretary's requests for
information, to determine the extent to which the school is
complying with the requirements of this section.
``(f) Reports to Congress.--The Secretary shall evaluate the
results of grants under this section and submit to Congress--
``(1) not later than 18 months after the date of the
enactment of this section, an interim report on such results;
and
``(2) not later than September 30, 2010, a final report on
such results.
``(g) Application.--An eligible school of nursing seeking a grant
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information and assurances as
the Secretary may require.
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to the amounts
in the Domestic Nursing Enhancement Account, established under section
833, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this section.
``SEC. 833. DOMESTIC NURSING ENHANCEMENT ACCOUNT.
``(a) Establishment.--There is established in the general fund of
the Treasury a separate account which shall be known as the `Domestic
Nursing Enhancement Account.' Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, there shall be deposited as offsetting receipts into the account
all fees collected under section 106(f) of the American Competitiveness
in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-313; 8 U.S.C.
1153 note). Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the depositing of
other moneys into the account established under this section.
``(b) Use of Funds.--Amounts collected under section 106(f) of the
American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000, and
deposited into the account established under subsection (a) shall be
used by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out section
832. Such amounts shall be available for obligation only to the extent,
and in the amount, provided in advance in appropriations Acts. Such
amounts are authorized to remain available until expended.''.
(c) Global Health Care Cooperation.--
(1) In general.--Title III of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.) is amended by inserting
after section 317 the following:
``SEC. 317A. TEMPORARY ABSENCE OF ALIENS PROVIDING HEALTH CARE IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
``(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act,
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall allow an eligible alien and
the spouse or child of such alien to reside in a candidate country
during the period that the eligible alien is working as a physician or
other health care worker in a candidate country. During such period the
eligible alien and such spouse or child shall be considered--
``(1) to be physically present and residing in the United
States for purposes of naturalization under section 316(a); and
``(2) to meet the continuous residency requirements under
section 316(b).
``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Candidate country.--The term `candidate country'
means a country that the Secretary of State determines to be--
``(A) eligible for assistance from the
International Development Association, in which the per
capita income of the country is equal to or less than
the historical ceiling of the International Development
Association for the applicable fiscal year, as defined
by the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development;
``(B) classified as a lower middle income country
in the then most recent edition of the World
Development Report for Reconstruction and Development
published by the International Bank for Reconstruction
and Development and having an income greater than the
historical ceiling for International Development
Association eligibility for the applicable fiscal year;
or
``(C) qualified to be a candidate country due to
special circumstances, including natural disasters or
public health emergencies.
``(2) Eligible alien.--The term `eligible alien' means an
alien who--
``(A) has been lawfully admitted to the United
States for permanent residence; and
``(B) is a physician or other healthcare worker.
``(c) Consultation.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
consult with the Secretary of State in carrying out this section.
``(d) Publication.--The Secretary of State shall publish--
``(1) not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this section, a list of candidate countries;
``(2) an updated version of the list required by paragraph
(1) not less often than once each year; and
``(3) an amendment to the list required by paragraph (1) at
the time any country qualifies as a candidate country due to
special circumstances under subsection (b)(1)(C).''.
(2) Rulemaking.--
(A) Requirement.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall promulgate regulations to carry
out the amendments made by this subsection.
(B) Content.--The regulations promulgated pursuant
to paragraph (1) shall--
(i) permit an eligible alien (as defined in
section 317A of the Immigration and Nationality
Act, as added by paragraph (1)) and the spouse
or child of the eligible alien to reside in a
foreign country to work as a physician or other
healthcare worker as described in subsection
(a) of such section 317A for not less than a
12-month period and not more than a 24-month
period, and shall permit the Secretary to
extend such period for an additional period not
to exceed 12 months, if the Secretary
determines that such country has a continuing
need for such a physician or other healthcare
worker;
(ii) provide for the issuance of documents
by the Secretary to such eligible alien, and
such spouse or child, if appropriate, to
demonstrate that such eligible alien, and such
spouse or child, if appropriate, is authorized
to reside in such country under such section
317A; and
(iii) provide for an expedited process
through which the Secretary shall review
applications for such an eligible alien to
reside in a foreign country pursuant to
subsection (a) of such section 317A if the
Secretary of State determines a country is a
candidate country pursuant to subsection
(b)(1)(C) of such section 317A.
(3) Technical and conforming amendments.--
(A) Definition.--Section 101(a)(13)(C)(ii) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101(a)(13)(C)(ii)) is amended by adding at the end the
following: ``except in the case of an eligible alien,
or the spouse or child of such alien, who is authorized
to be absent from the United States under section
317A,''.
(B) Documentary requirements.--Section 211(b) of
such Act (8 U.S.C. 1181(b)) is amended by inserting ``,
including an eligible alien authorized to reside in a
foreign country under section 317A and the spouse or
child of such eligible alien, if appropriate,'' after
``101(a)(27)(A),''.
(C) Ineligible aliens.--Section 212(a)(7)(A)(i)(I)
of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(7)(A)(i)(I)) is amended
by inserting ``other than an eligible alien authorized
to reside in a foreign country under section 317A and
the spouse or child of such eligible alien, if
appropriate,'' after ``Act,''.
(D) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents of
such Act is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 317 the following:
``Sec. 317A. Temporary absence of aliens providing health care in
developing countries.''.
(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection and
the amendments made by this subsection.
(d) Attestation by Health Care Workers.--
(1) Attestation requirement.--Section 212(a)(5) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(5)) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(E) Health care workers with other obligations.--
``(i) In general.--An alien who seeks to
enter the United States for the purpose of
performing labor as a physician or other health
care worker is inadmissible unless the alien
submits to the Secretary of Homeland Security
or the Secretary of State, as appropriate, an
attestation that the alien is not seeking to
enter the United States for such purpose during
any period in which the alien has an
outstanding obligation to the government of the
alien's country of origin or the alien's
country of residence.
``(ii) Obligation defined.--In this
subparagraph, the term `obligation' means an
obligation incurred as part of a valid,
voluntary individual agreement in which the
alien received financial assistance to defray
the costs of education or training to qualify
as a physician or other health care worker in
consideration for a commitment to work as a
physician or other health care worker in the
alien's country of origin or the alien's
country of residence.
``(iii) Waiver.--The Secretary of Homeland
Security may waive a finding of inadmissibility
under clause (i) if the Secretary determines
that--
``(I) the obligation was incurred
by coercion or other improper means;
``(II) the alien and the government
of the country to which the alien has
an outstanding obligation have reached
a valid, voluntary agreement, pursuant
to which the alien's obligation has
been deemed satisfied, or the alien has
shown to the satisfaction of the
Secretary that the alien has been
unable to reach such an agreement
because of coercion or other improper
means; or
``(III) the obligation should not
be enforced due to other extraordinary
circumstances, including undue hardship
that would be suffered by the alien in
the absence of a waiver.''.
(2) Effective date; application.--
(A) Effective date.--The amendment made by
paragraph (1) shall take effect on the date that is 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(B) Application by the secretary.--Not later than
the effective date described in subparagraph (A), the
Secretary of Homeland Security shall begin to carry out
subparagraph (E) of section 212(a)(5) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act, as added by paragraph
(1), including the requirement for the attestation and
the granting of a waiver described in clause (iii) of
such subparagraph (E), regardless of whether
regulations to implement such subparagraph have been
promulgated.
SEC. 3. NURSE TRAINING AND RETENTION DEMONSTRATION GRANT ACT OF 2008.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) America's healthcare system depends on an adequate
supply of trained nurses to deliver quality patient care.
(2) Over the next 15 years, this shortage is expected to
grow significantly. The Health Resources and Services
Administration has projected that by 2020, there will be a
shortage of nurses in every State and that overall only 64
percent of the demand for nurses will be satisfied, with a
shortage of 1,016,900 nurses nationally.
(3) To avert such a shortage, today's network of healthcare
workers should have access to education and support from their
employers to participate in educational and training
opportunities.
(4) With the appropriate education and support, incumbent
healthcare workers and incumbent bedside nurses are untapped
sources which can meet these needs and address the nursing
shortage and provide quality care as the American population
ages.
(b) Purposes of Grant Program.--It is the purpose of this section
to authorize grants to--
(1) address the projected shortage of nurses by funding
comprehensive programs to create a career ladder to nursing
(including Certified Nurse Assistants, Licensed Practical
Nurses, Licensed Vocational Nurses, and Registered Nurses) for
incumbent ancillary healthcare workers;
(2) increase the capacity for educating nurses by
increasing both nurse faculty and clinical opportunities
through collaborative programs between staff nurse
organizations, healthcare providers, and accredited schools of
nursing; and
(3) provide training programs through education and
training organizations jointly administered by healthcare
providers and healthcare labor organizations or other
organizations representing staff nurses and frontline
healthcare workers, working in collaboration with accredited
schools of nursing and academic institutions.
(c) Grants.--Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of Labor (referred to in this section as the
``Secretary'') shall establish a partnership grant program to award
grants to eligible entities to carry out comprehensive programs to
provide education to nurses and create a pipeline to nursing for
incumbent ancillary healthcare workers who wish to advance their
careers, and to otherwise carry out the purposes of this section.
(d) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this section an entity shall--
(1) be--
(A) a healthcare entity that is jointly
administered by a healthcare employer and a labor union
representing the healthcare employees of the employer
and that carries out activities using labor management
training funds as provided for under section 302 of the
Labor-Management Relations Act, 1947 (18 U.S.C.
186(c)(6));
(B) an entity that operates a training program that
is jointly administered by--
(i) one or more healthcare providers or
facilities, or a trade association of
healthcare providers; and
(ii) one or more organizations which
represent the interests of direct care
healthcare workers or staff nurses and in which
the direct care healthcare workers or staff
nurses have direct input as to the leadership
of the organization; or
(C) a State training partnership program that
consists of non-profit organizations that include equal
participation from industry, including public or
private employers, and labor organizations including
joint labor-management training programs, and which may
include representatives from local governments, worker
investment agency one-stop career centers, community
based organizations, community colleges, and accredited
schools of nursing; and
(2) submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require.
(e) Additional Requirements for Healthcare Employer Desrribed in
Subsection (d).--To be eligible for a grant under this section, a
healthcare employer described in subsection (d) shall demonstrate--
(1) an established program within their facility to
encourage the retention of existing nurses;
(2) it provides wages and benefits to its nurses that are
competitive for its market or that have been collectively
bargained with a labor organization; and
(3) support for programs funded under this section through
1 or more of the following:
(A) The provision of paid leave time and continued
health coverage to incumbent healthcare workers to
allow their participation in nursing career ladder
programs, including Certified Nurse Assistants,
Licensed Practical Nurses, Licensed Vocational Nurses,
and Registered Nurses.
(B) Contributions to a joint labor-management or
other jointly administered training fund which
administers the program involved.
(C) The provision of paid release time, incentive
compensation, or continued health coverage to staff
nurses who desire to work full- or part-time in a
faculty position.
(D) The provision of paid release time for staff
nurses to enable them to obtain a bachelor of science
in nursing degree, other advanced nursing degrees,
specialty training, or certification program.
(E) The payment of tuition assistance to incumbent
healthcare workers.
(f) Other Requirements.--
(1) Matching requirement.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary may not make a grant
under this section unless the applicant involved
agrees, with respect to the costs to be incurred by the
applicant in carrying out the program under the grant,
to make available non-Federal contributions (in cash or
in kind under subparagraph (B)) toward such costs in an
amount equal to not less than $1 for each $1 of Federal
funds provided in the grant. Such contributions may be
made directly or through donations from public or
private entities, or may be provided through the cash
equivalent of paid release time provided to incumbent
worker students.
(B) Determination of amount of non-federal
contribution.--Non-Federal contributions required in
subparagraph (A) may be in cash or in kind (including
paid release time), fairly evaluated, including
equipment or services (and excluding indirect or
overhead costs).
(C) Supplement, not supplant.--Funds made available
under this section shall supplement, and not supplant,
resources dedicated by an entity, or other Federal,
State, or localfunds available to carry out activities
described in this section.
(2) Required collaboration.--Entities carrying out or
overseeing programs carried out with assistance provided under
this section shall demonstrate collaboration with accredited
schools of nursing which may include community colleges and
other academic institutions providing associate, bachelor's, or
advanced nursing degree programs or specialty training or
certification programs.
(g) Activites.--Amounts awarded to an entity under a grant under
this section shall be used for the following:
(1) To carry out programs that provide education and
training to establish nursing career ladders to educate
incumbent healthcare workers to become nurses (including
Certified Nurse Assistants, Licensed Practical Nurses, Licensed
Vocational Nurses, and Registered Nurses). Such programs shall
include one or more of the following:
(A) Preparing incumbent workers to return to the
classroom through English as a second language
education, GED education, precollege counseling,
college preparation classes, and support with entry
level college classes that are a prerequisite to
nursing.
(B) Providing tuition assistance with preference
for dedicated cohort classes in community colleges,
universities, accredited schools of nursing with
supportive services including tutoring and counseling.
(C) Providing assistance in preparing for and
meeting all nursing licensure tests and requirements.
(D) Carrying out orientation and mentorship
programs that assist newly graduated nurses in
adjusting to working at the bedside to ensure their
retention post graduation, and ongoing programs to
support nurse retention.
(E) Providing stipends for release time and
continued healthcare coverage to enable incumbent
healthcare workers to participate in these programs.
(2) To carry out programs that assist nurses in obtaining
advanced degrees and completing specialty training or
certification programs and to establish incentives for nurses
to assume nurse faculty positions on a part-time or full-time
basis. Such programs shall include one or more of the
following:
(A) Increasing the pool of nurses with advanced
degrees who are interested in teaching by funding
programs that enable incumbent nurses to return to
school.
(B) Establishing incentives for advanced degree
bedside nurses who wish to teach in nursing programs so
they can obtain a leave from their bedside position to
assume a full- or part-time position as adjunct or full
time faculty without the loss of salary or benefits.
(C) Collaboration with accredited schools of
nursing which may include community colleges and other
academic institutions providing associate, bachelor's,
or advanced nursing degree programs, or specialty
training or certification programs, for nurses to carry
out innovative nursing programs which meet the needs of
bedside nursing and healthcare providers.
(h) Preference.--In awarding grants under this section the
Secretary shall give preference to programs that--
(1) provide for improving nurse retention;
(2) provide for improving the diversity of the new nurse
graduates to reflect changes in the demographics of the patient
population;
(3) provide for improving the quality of nursing education
to improve patient care and safety;
(4) have demonstrated success in upgrading incumbent
healthcare workers to become nurses or which have established
effective programs or pilots to increase nurse faculty; or
(5) are modeled after or affiliated with such programs
described in paragraph (4).
(i) Evaluation.--
(1) Program evaluations.--An entity that receives a grant
under this section shall annually evaluate, and submit to the
Secretary a report on, the activities carried out under the
grant and the outcomes of such activities. Such outcomes may
include--
(A) an increased number of incumbent workers
entering an accredited school of nursing and in the
pipeline for nursing programs;
(B) an increasing number of graduating nurses and
improved nurse graduation and licensure rates;
(C) improved nurse retention;
(D) an increase in the number of staff nurses at
the healthcare facility involved;
(E) an increase in the number of nurses with
advanced degrees in nursing;
(F) an increase in the number of nurse faculty;
(G) improved measures of patient quality as
determined by the Secretary; and
(H) an increase in the diversity of new nurse
graduates relative to the patient population.
(2) General report.--Not later than September 30, 2011, the
Secretary of Labor shall, using data and information from the
reports received under paragraph (1), submit to Congress a
report concerning the overall effectiveness of the grant
program carried out under this section.
(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section for fiscal years 2010, 2011, and
2012, such sums as may be necessary. Funds appropriated under this
subsection shall remain available until expended without fiscal year
limitation.
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