Nurse Training Act

(Reported to House from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce with amendment, H. Rept. 94-143)

Nurse Training Act - =Title I: One-Year Extension= - Extends through fiscal year 1975 authority relating to: nursing school construction grants, nursing school capitation grants, nursing special projects and financial distress grants, nursing school construction loan guarantees and interest subsidies, nursing school start-up grants, nursing scholarships (with provision for continuing through fiscal year 1978 awards to students who intially received scholarships prior to June 30, 1975), and grants and contracts to encourage full utilization of educational talent for nursing.

=Title II: Revision and Extension of Programs Through Fiscal Year 1978= - Authorizes appropriations of $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1976, $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1977, and $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1978 for grants for construction of nursing school teaching facilities.

Extends for fiscal years 1976, 1977, and 1978 the authorities for loan guarantees and interest subsidies for construction loans made by non-Federal lenders to nonprofit private schools of nursing.

Authorizes capitation payments as follows: (1) each collegiate school of nursing would receive $400 for each under-graduate full-time student enrolled in each of the last 2 years of such school; and (2) each associate degree school of nursing would receive $275 for one-half the number of full-time students enrolled in the first year of such school and $275 for each full-time student enrolled in the last year of such school; and (3) each diploma of nursing would receive $250 for each full-time student enrolled in such school.

Requires that each school's application for a capitation grant contain or be supported by reasonable assurances that: (1) such school will maintain its enrollment of first-year students in the school year beginning after the fiscal year in which the grant applied for is made at a level not less than the enrollment of such students in the preceding school year; and (2) such school will, during the fiscal year for which the grant is made, maintain the amount of non-Federal funds expended at a level not less than the average amount expended in the three preceding fiscal years.

Requires that each school meet one of specified additional requirements relating to increases in first-year enrollment and curricula, in order to be eligible for a capitation award.

Authorizes appropriations for capitation grants of $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1976, $55,000,000 for fiscal years 1977, and $60,000,000 for fiscal year 1978.

Extends for three years the program of financial distress grants to schools of nursing as follows: (1) continues the authority which authorizes grants to schools of nursing which are in serious financial straits to meet operational costs to maintain quality educational programs or which have special need for financial assistance to meet accreditation requirements; (2) provides that the Secretary may not approve or disapprove an application for a grant except after consultation with the Advisory Council on Nurse Training; and (3) continues the requirement that an applicant give assurances it will expend from non-Federal sources an amount which is at least as great as the average amount expended in the three years preceding the year for which the grant is sought.

Authorizes appropriations for financial distress grants of $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1976, 1977, and 1978.

Authorizes grants to public or nonprofit private schools of nursing and other public or nonprofit private entities, and contracts with any public or private entity to meet costs of special projects for the following purposes: (1) to assist in mergers between hospital training programs or between hospital training programs and academic institutions; (2) to plan, develop, or establish new nurse training programs; (3) to increase nursing education opportunities for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds; (4) to provide continuing education for nurses; (5) to help to increase the supply or improve the distribution by geographic area or by specialty group of adequately trained nursing personnel; and (6) to provide training and education to upgrade the skills of licensed vocational or practical nurses, nursing assistants, and other paraprofessional nursing personnel.

Authorizes appropriations of $15,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1976, 1977, and 1978 for for special project grants and contracts and requires that not less than 10 percent of the funds appropriated for any fiscal year shall be used for special projects to increase nursing education opportunities for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Authorizes grants to or contracts with public and nonprofit private collegiate schools of nursing to meet costs of projects to plan, develop, and operate; significantly expand; or maintain existing programs for the advanced training of professional nurses to be teachers, administrators or supervisors, or nursing specialists.

Authorizes appropriations of $15,000,000 for fiscal year 1976, $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1977, and $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1978 for advanced nurse training programs.

Authorizes grants to and contracts with public or nonprofit private collegiate schools of nursing, medicine, and public health, public or nonprofit private hospitals and other public or nonprofit private entities to meet costs of projects to plan, develop, and operate; significantly expand; or maintain existing, programs for the training of nurse practitioners.

Authorizes appropriations for grants or contracts for nurse practitioner programs of $15,000,000 for fiscal year 1976, $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1977, and $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1978.

Authorizes appropriations of $15,000,000,000 for fiscal year 1976, $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1977, and $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1978 to cover costs of traineeships for the training of professional nurses to serve as teachers, administrators or supervisors, nurse practitioners or supervisors, nurse practitioners or other nursing specialists.

Extends for three years (1976 through 1978) the program of Federal capital contributions to school student loan funds.

Provides appropriation authorizations for capital contributions to student loan funds of $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1976, $30,000,000 for fiscal year 1977, and $35,000,000 for fiscal year 1978.

Extends the nursing scholarship program for fiscal years 1976, 1977 and 1978.

=Title III: Technical and Conforming Amendments= - Makes technical and conforming amendments required by the provisions of this Act.

=Title IV: Miscellaneous= - Requires the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to: (1) determine on a continuing basis the supply, distribution, and current and future requirements for nursing personnel; (2) survey and gather data, on a continuing basis, on employment and compensation of nurses, numbers of nurses with advanced and specialty preparation, and foreign nurse graduates; and (3) develop procedures for determining nurse requirements for the United States and each State on both a current and projected basis.