The following article is taken from the ANA site

Funding for Nursing Workforce Development

Funding for Nursing Workforce Development

ALERT: Vote Expected July 16, ACT NOW to fund the Nurse Reinvestment Act!

Committees in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate are poised to consider legislation that sets funding for nursing workforce development programs, including the programs included in the Nurse Reinvestment Act.

ANA needs your help to secure a $63 million increase for these programs. This increase would help to improve funding for the loan repayment program, scholarships, faculty development, workplace improvements, and many more important programs.

Please don't delay! The House and Senate are expected to act on this bill by July 16, 2004. It is important that you call or email your Senators and Representative today.

Contact your Representatives and Senators TODAY-- reach them by phone using the U.S Capitol Switchboard at 202/224-3121 or e-mail them by clicking the ³Write a Message² button at the bottom of this page.

Position

ANA urges Congress to appropriate at least $205 million in FY 2005 funding for nursing workforce development (Title VIII, Public Health Service Act).

Rationale

In order to meet the growing demand for nursing services, Congress must invest in nursing workforce development programs. Funding of at least $205 million would allow HRSA to implement programs designed to attract more students into nursing programs; improve the workplace for nursing; support schools of nursing to provide faculty and updated curricula; recruit a more diverse student population; provide assistance to students to enable them to complete nursing studies, and; ensure the collection and analysis of current nursing workforce data to guide the appropriate implementation of these programs. ANA applauds Congress for taking the visionary step of passing the Nurse Reinvestment Act. However, the important programs contained in this law will never become a reality without adequate funding.

Background

The nursing workforce development programs administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration through Title VIII provide federal support for nurse workforce development. This title includes the newly authorized programs of the Nurse Reinvestment Act (P.L. 107-205).Title VIII is the primary source of funding for nursing education and recruitment.

Title VIII supports nursing programs through the educational continuum - from entry-level preparation through graduate study. It contains the following major grant programs:

• Advanced Education Nursing: Provides grants to nursing schools, academic health centers, and other entities to enhance education and practice for nurses in master's and post-master's programs. These programs prepare nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, nurse educators, nurse administrators and public health nurses. Click here for additional information.

• Workforce Diversity Grants: Provides grants to increase opportunities for individuals who are from disadvantaged backgrounds, including students from economically disadvantaged families as well as racial and ethnic minorities underrepresented in the nursing profession. This authorizes HRSA to provide student scholarships or stipends, pre-entry preparation and retention activities. Click here for additional information.

• Nurse Education, Practice, and Retention Grants: This section supports schools and nurses at the associate and baccalaureate degree level. Grants are provided to schools of nursing, academic health centers, nursing centers, state and local governments and other public or private nonprofit entities. Some grants (such as grants promoting the Magnet best practices for nursing administration) are also available to health care facilities. Click here for additional information. 

• Nurse Corps: This section contains the Nurse Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP) and the new Nursing Scholarship Program. The NELRP repays 60 to 85 percent of outstanding student loans in return for an RN working full time for at least two years in a facility designated to have a critical shortage of nurses. HRSA is currently focusing on nurses who work in disproportionate share hospitals, departments of public health, and nursing facilities. Individual nurses apply directly to HRSA to receive these loan repayments. Click here for additional information.

• The Nursing Scholarship Program: Provides financial assistance to nursing students. Upon graduation these scholars are required to work for at least two years in a facility designated to have a critical shortage of nurses. Nursing students work with their school of nursing to apply for these scholarships. Click here for additional information.

• Nursing Faculty Loan Program: These grants establish student loan funds within schools of nursing. These funds are used to cancel up to 85 percent of the student loans (plus interest, over 4 years) of Masters or Doctoral students who agree to serve as full-time nursing faculty in the school after completion of their degree. Students should work with their schools to apply for these loans. A list of schools offering these loan repayments in 2003 is available on the HRSA website.