80R14829 CAS-D

By: Howard of Travis H.B. No. 3443

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the Texas hospital-based nursing education partnership grant program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding Subchapter EE to read as follows: SUBCHAPTER EE. TEXAS HOSPITAL-BASED NURSING EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP GRANT PROGRAM

Sec. 61.9751. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Hospital-based nursing education partnership" means a partnership that:

(A) consists of one or more hospitals in this state that are not owned, maintained, or operated by the federal or state government or an agency of the federal or state government and one or more nursing education programs in this state; and

(B) serves to increase graduation rates for each nursing education program in the partnership.

(2) "Nursing education program" means an undergraduate professional nursing program or a graduate professional nursing program as those terms are defined by Section 54.221.

Sec. 61.9752. PROGRAM: ESTABLISHMENT; ADMINISTRATION; PURPOSE. (a) The Texas hospital-based nursing education partnership grant program is established.

(b) The board shall administer the program in accordance with this subchapter and rules adopted under this subchapter.

(c) Under the program, the board shall make grants to hospital-based nursing education partnerships to assist those partnerships to meet the state's needs for registered nurses by increasing the number of nursing education program graduates through innovative instruction through collaboration between hospitals and nursing education programs and the use of the existing expertise and facilities of those hospitals and programs.

Sec. 61.9753. GRANTS: CONDITIONS; LIMITATIONS. (a) The board may make a grant under this subchapter to a hospital-based nursing education partnership only if the board determines that:

(1) the partnership will meet applicable board and Board of Nurse Examiners standards for instruction and student competency for the associate, bachelor of science, or master of science nursing degree granted by each nursing education program participating in the partnership;

(2) each nursing education program participating in the partnership will, as a result of the partnership, enroll in the nursing education program a sufficient number of additional students as established by the board;

(3) the marginal cost to the state of producing a graduate of a nursing education program participating in the partnership will be comparable, as determined under criteria established by board rule, to the marginal cost to the state of producing a graduate of a nursing education program not participating in a partnership;

(4) each hospital participating in a partnership with a nursing education program will provide to students enrolled in the program clinical placements that:

(A) allow the students to take part in providing or to observe, as appropriate, medical services offered by the hospital; and

(B) meet the clinical education needs of the students; and

(5) the partnership will satisfy any other requirement established by board rule.

(b) In establishing the cost-comparison criteria under Subsection (a)(3), the board shall exclude reasonable development and initial implementation costs for the infrastructure necessary to support a hospital-based nursing education partnership.

(c) A grant under this subchapter may be spent only on costs related to the development or operation of a hospital-based nursing education partnership that:

(1) prepares a student to earn an associate or bachelor of science degree in nursing and to achieve initial licensure as a registered nurse, including by providing an accelerated program to prepare a student to earn a bachelor of science degree in nursing;

(2) prepares a student to earn a master of science degree in nursing with a concentration in education; or

(3) provides an articulation program providing for advancement from an associate degree to a bachelor of science degree in nursing or to a master of science degree in nursing with a concentration in education.

(d) A hospital-based nursing education partnership shall return to the board money granted to the partnership under this subchapter that the partnership does not spend on eligible costs under Subsection (c). As the board determines appropriate to best achieve the purposes of these programs, the board may:

(1) use the money to make grants to other hospital-based nursing education partnerships;

(2) use the money to make grants under the professional nursing shortage reduction program established under Subchapter Z; or

(3) transfer the money to the permanent fund for higher education nursing, allied health, and other health-related programs established under Subchapter C, Chapter 63, for use in making grants under that subchapter.

Sec. 61.9754. PRIORITY FOR FUNDING. In awarding a grant under this subchapter, the board shall give priority to a hospital-based nursing education partnership that submits a proposal that:

(1) provides for collaborative educational models between one or more participating hospitals and one or more participating nursing education programs that have signed a memorandum of understanding or other written agreement under which the participants agree to comply with standards established by the board, including any standards the board may establish that:

(A) provide for program management that offers a centralized decision-making process allowing for inclusion of each entity participating in the partnership;

(B) provide for access to clinical training positions for students in nursing education programs that are not participating in the partnership; and

(C) specify the details of any requirement relating to a student in a nursing education program participating in the partnership being employed after graduation in a hospital participating in the partnership, including any details relating to the employment of students who do not complete the program, are not offered a nursing position at the hospital, or choose to pursue other employment;

(2) includes a demonstrable education model to:

(A) increase the number of students enrolled in, the number of students graduating from, and the number of nursing faculty employed by each nursing education program participating in the partnership; and

(B) improve student retention in each nursing education program;

(3) indicates the availability of money to match all or a portion of the grant money, including matching money from a hospital, private or nonprofit entity, or institution of higher education;

(4) can be replicated by other hospital-based nursing education partnerships or nursing education programs; and

(5) includes plans for sustainability of the partnership beyond the end of the grant period.

Sec. 61.9755. GRANTS, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS. In addition to money appropriated by the legislature, the board may solicit, receive, and spend grants, gifts, and donations from any public or private source for the purposes of this subchapter.

Sec. 61.9756. RULES. The board shall adopt rules for the administration of the Texas hospital-based nursing education partnership grant program. The rules must include:

(1) provisions relating to applying for a grant under this subchapter; and

(2) standards of accountability to be met by any hospital-based nursing education partnership awarded a grant under this subchapter.

Sec. 61.9757. APPROVAL AS NURSING EDUCATION PILOT PROGRAM. The board and the Board of Nurse Examiners shall establish a single application process under which a hospital-based nursing education partnership may apply both for approval as a pilot program under Section 301.1605, Occupations Code, and for a grant under this subchapter.

Sec. 61.9758. ANNUAL REPORT. Each hospital-based nursing education partnership that receives a grant under this subchapter shall submit to the board an annual report that includes information required by board rule, including information concerning the extent to which during the reporting period the partnership has complied with accountability standards established by the board.

SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall adopt rules for the implementation and administration of the Texas hospital-based nursing education partnership grant program established under Subchapter EE, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2007.