Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1109
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2017-05-11
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Aging

Education programs funding

Health facilities and institutions

Health personnel

Health programs administration and funding

Medical education

Nursing

Student aid and college costs
Latest action: action_date: 2017-05-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-05-11
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2017</b></p> <p>This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to extend through FY2022 support for nursing workforce programs and grants.</p> <p>Eligibility for advanced nursing education grants is expanded to include education programs for clinical nurse leaders and all combined registered nurse and graduate degree programs. (Clinical nurse leaders are advanced generalist clinicians who apply research and coordinate care in order to improve outcomes for patients.) To be eligible for these grants, clinical nurse specialist programs must provide registered nurses with full-time clinical nurse specialist education that qualifies the nurses to provide a full range of care.</p> <p>Programs for loan repayment and scholarships for nurses, loans for nursing faculty, and geriatric care education are extended through FY2022. Grants for increasing nursing workforce diversity are also extended through FY2022.</p> <p>Nurse education, practice, and quality grants are extended through FY2022 and eligibility is expanded to include nurse-managed health clinics.</p> <p>Grants for nursing career ladder programs are expanded to: (1) promote career advancement for individuals to become registered nurses or advanced education nurses; and (2) support internships and residency programs to encourage mentoring and the development of specialties.</p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1109 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 11, 2017 Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Burr , Ms. Baldwin , and Ms. Collins ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To amend title VIII of the Public Health Service Act to extend advanced education nursing grants to support clinical nurse specialist programs, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2017 . 2. Supporting clinical nurse specialists (a) Advanced education nursing grants Section 811 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 296j ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)— (A) by striking R.N./Master's and inserting R.N./graduate ; and (B) by inserting clinical nurse leaders, before or public health nurses ; (2) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections (g) and (h), respectively; and (3) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection: (f) Authorized clinical nurse specialist programs Clinical nurse specialist programs eligible for support under this section are education programs that— (1) provide registered nurses with full-time clinical nurse specialist education; and (2) have as their objective the education of clinical nurse specialists who will upon completion of such a program be qualified to effectively provide care through the wellness and illness continuum to inpatients and outpatients experiencing acute and chronic illness. . (b) Definition of nurse-Managed clinic Section 801 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 296 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (18) Nurse-managed health clinic The term nurse-managed health clinic means a nurse-practice arrangement, managed by advanced practice nurses, that provides primary care or wellness services to underserved or vulnerable populations and that is associated with a school, college, university, or department of nursing, federally qualified health center, or independent nonprofit health or social services agency. . (c) National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice Section 851(b)(1)(A)(iv) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 297t(b)(1)(A)(iv) ) is amended by striking and nurse anesthetists and inserting nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists . 3. Reauthorization of funding for nursing programs (a) In general Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 296 et seq.) is amended— (1) in subsection (i)(1) of section 846 ( 42 U.S.C. 297n ; loan repayment and scholarship programs), by striking 2007 and inserting 2022 ; (2) in subsection (f) of section 846A ( 42 U.S.C. 297n–1 ; nurse faculty loan program), by striking 2014 and inserting 2022 ; (3) in subsection (e) of section 865 ( 42 U.S.C. 298 ; comprehensive geriatric education), by striking 2014 and inserting 2022 ; and (4) in section 871 ( 42 U.S.C. 298d ; funding for carrying out parts B, C, and section 831)— (A) by striking 2016 and inserting 2022 ; and (B) by striking B, C, and D and inserting B and C and section 831 . (b) Nurse education, practice, quality, and retention grants Section 831 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 296p ) is amended— (1) in the section heading, by striking and quality and inserting quality, and retention ; (2) in subsection (c)(1)— (A) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows: (A) to promote career advancement for— (i) for nursing personnel in a variety of training settings, cross training or specialty training among diverse population groups, and the advancement of individuals including to become professional nurses, advanced education nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nurse assistants, and home health aides; and (ii) individuals including licensed practical nurses, licensed vocational nurses, certified nurse assistants, home health aides, diploma degree or associate degree nurses, to become baccalaureate prepared registered nurses or advanced education nurses in order to meet the needs of the registered nurse workforce; ; (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and inserting ; and ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (C) developing and implementing internships and residency programs in collaboration with an accredited school of nursing, as defined by section 801(2), to encourage mentoring and the development of specialties. ; (3) in subsection (g)— (A) by striking ,, and inserting , ; (B) by striking or ; and (C) by inserting , or a nurse-managed health clinic before the period; and (4) by striking subsection (h).