Based on a meeting that was held last week with the Presidents
and CEOs of 10 major professional associations, steps are being
taken to determine if allied health legislation can be introduced
and enacted along lines of the the success that nurses are experiencing
as shown below:
The Nurse Reinvestment Act (H.R. 3487), a measure that aims
to ease the nation's nursing shortage by offering scholarships
and grants to nurses and helping hospitals keep them employed
cleared Congress on Monday.
Both the Senate and the House passed the measure by voice vote
to send it to President Bush for his signature.
The House and Senate passed different versions of the bill
last year. Lawmakers have spent the last few months hammering
out a compromise. No dollar amount is attached to the bill,
which only authorizes the programs. Congress still must find
the money to pay for it.
The bill authorizes more loans for nursing students, but requires
them to work at least two years in a facility with a nursing
shortage. It also establishes grants to train nurses to care
for the growing aged population and gives health facilities
grants to help with nurse retention. Nurses seeking advanced
degrees also can qualify for expanded loans the bill provides,
but they must agree to teach other nurses.
Submitted by: David
E. Yoder |
