[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 96 (Thursday, May 19, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-12153]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 19, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
 

Final Minimum Percentages for ``High Rate'' and ``Significant 
Increase in the Rate'' for Implementation of the General Statutory 
Funding Preference for Grants for Professional Nurse Traineeships for 
Fiscal Year 1994

    The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces 
the final minimum percentages for ``high rate'' and ``significant 
increase in the rate'' for implementation of the general statutory 
funding preference for fiscal year (FY) 1994 Grants for Professional 
Nurse Traineeships funded under the authority of section 830, title 
VIII of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, as amended by the Nurse 
Education and Practice Improvement Amendments of 1992, title II of the 
Health Professions Education Extension Amendments of 1992, Public Law 
102-408, dated October 13, 1992.

Purpose

    Section 830 of the Public Health Service Act authorizes the 
Secretary to award grants to meet the cost of traineeships for 
individuals in advanced-degree programs in order to educate the 
individuals to serve in and prepare for practice as nurse 
practitioners, nurse midwives, nurse educators, public health nurses, 
or in other clinical nursing specialties determined by the Secretary to 
require advanced education. Federal support must be requested annually.

Statutory Preference

    In making awards of grants under this section, preference will be 
given to any qualified applicant that:
    (a) Has a high rate for placing graduates in practice settings 
having the principal focus of serving residents of medically 
underserved communities; or
    (b) During the 2-year period preceding the fiscal year for which 
such an award is sought, has achieved a significant increase in the 
rate of placing graduates in such settings.

Proposed Minimum Percentages for ``High Rate'' and ``Significant 
Increase in the Rate''

    A notice which announced this grant cycle was published in the 
Federal Register on November 3, 1993 at 58 FR 58703, and proposed 
minimum percentages for ``high rate'' and ``significant increase in the 
rate'' for implementation of the general statutory funding preference. 
No comments were received during the 30 day comment period. Therefore, 
the percentages for ``high rate'' and ``significant increase in the 
rate'' remain as proposed, except that a technical correction has been 
made in the definition for ``high rate.'' The final minimum percentages 
are shown below.
    ``High rate'' is defined as a minimum of 20 percent of graduates in 
academic years 1990-91, 1991-92 or 1992-93 who spend at least 50 
percent of their worktime in clinical practice in the specified 
settings. Public health nurse graduates can be counted if they identify 
a primary work affiliation at one of the qualified work sites. 
Graduates who are providing care in a medically underserved community 
as a part of a fellowship or other educational experience can be 
counted.
    ``Significant increase in the rate'' means that, between academic 
years 1991-92 and 1992-93, the rate of placing graduates in the 
specified settings has increased by a minimum of 50 percent and that 
not less than 15 percent of graduates from the most recent year are 
working in these settings.

Additional Information

    If additional programmatic information is needed, please contact: 
Ms. Donna English, Division of Nursing, Bureau of Health Professions, 
Health Resources and Services Administration, Parklawn Building, Room 
9-36, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone: (301) 
443-5763 FAX: (301) 443-8586.
    This program, Grants for Professional Nurse Traineeships, is listed 
at 93.358 in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. It is not 
subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental 
Review of Federal Programs (as implemented through 45 CFR part 100). 
This program is not subject to the Public Health System Reporting 
Requirements.

    Dated: May 12, 1994.
John H. Kelso,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-12153 Filed 5-18-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P