Support Faculty and Expand Access to Nursing School Act of 2023

To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase and support nurse faculty and clinical preceptors, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Support Faculty and Expand Access to Nursing School Act of 2023 2. Grant program To increase and support nurse faculty and clinical preceptors (a) In general Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 296 et seq. 42 U.S.C. 297t G Nurse faculty and clinical preceptors 861. Increasing and supporting nurse faculty and clinical preceptors (a) In general The Secretary shall award grants to schools of nursing to support the recruitment and retention of nurse faculty and clinical preceptors who supervise nursing students to help educate the future nursing workforce. (b) Eligibility In order to be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a school of nursing shall submit an application to the Secretary that includes— (1) documentation that such school is experiencing a shortage of faculty or clinical preceptors; and (2) a description of how such school will utilize funds received through the grant to recruit and retain faculty or clinical preceptors, as applicable. (c) Priority In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to any school of nursing that— (1) demonstrates that the school’s shortage of teaching faculty or clinical preceptors is a reason that the school has not accepted all qualified applicants into the respective school’s programs; (2) demonstrates that the school is located in a State or city whose schools of nursing experience above-average shortages of teaching faculty or clinical preceptors; (3) prioritizes the recruitment and retention of nurse faculty from disadvantaged backgrounds (including racial or ethnic groups underrepresented in the nursing workforce), low-income individuals, and first-generation college students; (4) prioritizes the recruitment and retention of full-time nurse faculty and clinical preceptors; or (5) demonstrates in its application an intent to sustain gains realized through the grant. (d) Use of funds A school of nursing that receives a grant under this section may use the funds awarded through such grant for activities that include— (1) hiring additional nurse faculty or clinical preceptors; (2) increasing pay or benefits to retain or recruit nurse faculty or clinical preceptors; (3) partnering with a health care facility, nurse-managed health clinic, community health center, or other facility that provides health care in order to provide educational opportunities for the purpose of increasing the number of clinical preceptors and clinical rotation sites; (4) developing and disseminating information to educate nursing students about opportunities to serve as clinical preceptors or nursing school faculty throughout their careers; (5) offering education opportunities to promote the growth and development of nursing students and registered nurses into roles as clinical preceptors and teaching faculty; (6) supporting the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty members; and (7) coordinating programs with another health care facility. (e) Reports to Secretary Each school of nursing awarded a grant under this section shall submit an annual report (in such form and manner as the Secretary may require) to the Secretary containing— (1) information on programs and activities funded through such grant; (2) information related to the outcomes of such programs and activities, including— (A) the total number of nurse faculty or clinical preceptors who were hired or retained through such grant; (B) the total number of students enrolled in such school of nursing before and after the implementation of programs and activities funded through such grant; and (C) to the extent such information is available, deidentified and disaggregated data by race, ethnicity, age, sex, geographic region, disability status, and other relevant factors regarding nursing students enrolled in such school of nursing; and (3) other information as the Secretary may require. . (b) Authorization of appropriations Section 871 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 298d (c) Part G For the purpose of carrying out part G, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2025. . (c) Technical correction Effective as if included in the enactment of the CARES Act ( Public Law 116–136 (12) by striking part G (42 U.S.C. 297w and 297x); and .

Summary: Support Faculty and Expand Access to Nursing School Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to nursing schools with shortages of nursing faculty or clinical preceptors (nurses who supervise nursing students during clinical rotations) for efforts to recruit and retain those positions.