110 HR 3597 IH: Increasing Education Opportunities for U.S. House of Representatives 2007-09-19 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
I 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3597 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 19, 2007 Mrs. McCarthy of New York (for herself and Mr. LaTourette) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to create a capitation grant program to increase the number of nurses and graduate educated nurse faculty to meet the future need for qualified nurses, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Increasing Education Opportunities for Nurses and Nurse Faculty Act of 2007.
2.
Findings
The Congress finds the following: (1)In recent years, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has described the American health care system in crisis. It is estimated between 44,000 to 98,000 American die as a result of medical errors each year. A paramount reason for compromised patient safety is the critical shortage of Registered Nurses (RN) in the United States. (2)In 2002, the Joint Commission found that for roughly a quarter (24 percent) of hospital patient deaths and injuries, low nurse staffing levels was a contributing factor. (3)The current nursing shortage places the lives of patients at risk and the shortage is only projected to worsen. In April 2006, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) predicted that the nation's nursing shortage would grow to more than one million nurses by 2020. If the current nursing shortage trend continues, only sixty-four percent of the projected demand will be met. (4)More registered nurses must be educated to meet the demanding needs of the future. They are a critical component of the health care delivery system, are the first responders during natural disasters and are essential to provide health care to the U.S. military. In the future, RNs will play an even larger role in the health care delivery system as 78 million baby boomers age and require additional health care services. (5)Over the last nine years, the nursing shortage has become more apparent as constraints in nursing education programs have intensified. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing report on 2006–2007 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing, U.S. nursing schools turned away 42,866 qualified applicants from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2006 due to insufficient number of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, clinical preceptors, and budget constraints. (6)While graduations increased by 18 percent from 2005 to 2006 in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs, this increase does not meet the demand. The April 2006 HRSA projection noted that nursing schools must increase the number of graduates by 90 percent in order to adequately address the nursing shortage. (7)From 1971 to 1978, Congress provided schools of nursing Capitation Grants, which are formula grants based on the number of students enrolled. Most notably, the Nurse Training Act of 1971 (P.L. 92–158) and the Nurse Training Act of 1975 (P.L. 94–63) facilitated increased enrollments in schools of nursing and helped relieve past nursing shortages. (8)According to a 2006 National League for Nursing report, nurse faculty vacancies continued to grow with 1,390 as the estimated number of budgeted, unfilled, full-time positions countrywide in 2006.
3.
Nursing education
Title VII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1133 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new part: E
Additional capacity for R.N. students or graduate-level nursing students
771.
Additional capacity for R.N. students or graduate-level nursing students
(a)
Authorization
The Secretary shall award grants to institutions of higher education that offer— (1)a R.N. 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 R.N. nursing program students; or (2)a graduate-level nursing program to accommodate advanced practice degrees for R.N.s or to accommodate students enrolled in a graduate-level nursing program to provide teachers of nursing students. (b)
Determination of number of students and application
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 4 academic years preceding the academic year for which the determination is made the average number of matriculated nursing program students at such institution for such academic years; and (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 determined under paragraph (1). (c)
Grant amount; award basis
(1)
Grant amount
For each academic year after academic year 2006–2007, the Secretary shall 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 of matriculated nursing program students at such institution for such academic year that is more than the average number determined with respect to such institution under subsection (b)(1). Such amount shall be used for the purposes described in subsection (a). (2)
Distribution of grants among different degree programs
(A)
In general
Subject to subparagraph (B), 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 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 R.N. nursing 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 R.N. nursing programs at the associate degree level. (B)
Distribution of excess funds
If, for a fiscal year, funds described in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of subparagraph (A) remain after the Secretary awards grants under this section to all applicants for the particular category of nursing programs described in such clause, the Secretary shall use equal amounts of the remaining funds to award grants under this section to applicants for the remaining categories of nursing programs. (C)
Equitable distribution
In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, ensure— (i)an equitable geographic distribution of the grants among the States; and (ii)an equitable distribution of the grants among different types of institutions of higher education. (d)
Prohibition
(1)
In general
Funds provided under this section may not be used for the construction of new facilities. (2)
Rule of construction
Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to prohibit funds provided under this section from being used for the repair or renovation of facilities. (e)
Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary.
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