As used in this subchapter:

(1) Eligible entities The term “eligible entities” means schools of nursing, nursing centers, academic health centers, State or local governments, and other public or private nonprofit entities determined appropriate by the Secretary that submit to the Secretary an application in accordance with section 296a of this title.

The term “school of nursing” means an accredited (as defined in paragraph 6) collegiate, associate degree, or diploma school of nursing in a State where graduates are—

(A) authorized to sit for the National Council Licensure EXamination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX–RN); or

(B) licensed registered nurses who will receive a graduate or equivalent degree or training to become an advanced education nurse as defined by section 296j(b) of this title.

(3) Collegiate school of nursing The term “collegiate school of nursing” means a department, division, or other administrative unit in a college or university which provides primarily or exclusively a program of education in professional nursing and related subjects leading to the degree of bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, bachelor of nursing, or to an equivalent degree, or to a graduate degree in nursing, or to an equivalent degree, and including advanced training related to such program of education provided by such school, but only if such program, or such unit, college or university is accredited.

(4) Associate degree school of nursing The term “associate degree school of nursing” means a department, division, or other administrative unit in a junior college, community college, college, or university which provides primarily or exclusively a two-year program of education in professional nursing and allied subjects leading to an associate degree in nursing or to an equivalent degree, but only if such program, or such unit, college, or university is accredited.

(5) Diploma school of nursing The term “diploma school of nursing” means a school affiliated with a hospital or university, or an independent school, which provides primarily or exclusively a program of education in professional nursing and allied subjects leading to a diploma or to equivalent indicia that such program has been satisfactorily completed, but only if such program, or such affiliated school or such hospital or university or such independent school is accredited.

Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term “accredited” when applied to any program of nurse education means a program accredited by a recognized body or bodies, or by a State agency, approved for such purpose by the Secretary of Education and when applied to a hospital, school, college, or university (or a unit thereof) means a hospital, school, college, or university (or a unit thereof) which is accredited by a recognized body or bodies, or by a State agency, approved for such purpose by the Secretary of Education. For the purpose of this paragraph, the Secretary of Education shall publish a list of recognized accrediting bodies, and of State agencies, which the Secretary of Education determines to be reliable authority as to the quality of education offered.

(A) In general Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term “accredited” when applied to any program of nurse education means a program accredited by a recognized body or bodies, or by a State agency, approved for such purpose by the Secretary of Education and when applied to a hospital, school, college, or university (or a unit thereof) means a hospital, school, college, or university (or a unit thereof) which is accredited by a recognized body or bodies, or by a State agency, approved for such purpose by the Secretary of Education. For the purpose of this paragraph, the Secretary of Education shall publish a list of recognized accrediting bodies, and of State agencies, which the Secretary of Education determines to be reliable authority as to the quality of education offered.

(B) New programs A new program of nursing that, by reason of an insufficient period of operation, is not, at the time of the submission of an application for a grant or contract under this subchapter, eligible for accreditation by such a recognized body or bodies or State agency, shall be deemed accredited for purposes of this subchapter if the Secretary of Education finds, after consultation with the appropriate accreditation body or bodies, that there is reasonable assurance that the program will meet the accreditation standards of such body or bodies prior to the beginning of the academic year following the normal graduation date of students of the first entering class in such a program.

(7) Nonprofit The term “nonprofit” as applied to any school, agency, organization, or institution means one which is a corporation or association, or is owned and operated by one or more corporations or associations, no part of the net earnings of which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.

(8) State The term “State” means a State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

(9) Ambulatory surgical center The term “ambulatory surgical center” has the meaning applicable to such term under title XVIII of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.].

(10) Federally qualified health center The term “Federally qualified health center” has the meaning given such term under section 1861(aa)(4) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)(4)].

(11) Health care facility The term “health care facility” means an Indian Health Service health center, a Native Hawaiian health center, a hospital, a Federally qualified health center, a rural health clinic, a nursing home, a home health agency, a hospice program, a public health clinic, a State or local department of public health, a skilled nursing facility, an ambulatory surgical center, or any other facility designated by the Secretary.

(12) Home health agency The term “home health agency” has the meaning given such term in section 1861(o) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395x(o)].

(13) Hospice program The term “hospice program” has the meaning given such term in section 1861(dd)(2) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395x(dd)(2)].

(14) Rural health clinic The term “rural health clinic” has the meaning given such term in section 1861(aa)(2) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)(2)].

(15) Skilled nursing facility The term “skilled nursing facility” has the meaning given such term in section 1819(a) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(a)].

(16) Accelerated nursing degree program The term “accelerated nursing degree program” means a program of education in professional nursing offered by an accredited school of nursing in which an individual holding a bachelors degree in another discipline receives a BSN or MSN degree in an accelerated time frame as determined by the accredited school of nursing.

(17) Bridge or degree completion program The term “bridge or degree completion program” means a program of education in professional nursing offered by an accredited school of nursing, as defined in paragraph (2), that leads to a baccalaureate degree in nursing. Such programs may include, Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor’s of Science of Nursing (BSN) programs, RN to MSN (Master of Science of Nursing) programs, or BSN to Doctoral programs.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VIII, § 801, as added Pub. L. 105–392, title I, § 123(4), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3562; amended Pub. L. 107–205, title I, § 101, Aug. 1, 2002, 116 Stat. 811; Pub. L. 111–148, title V, § 5002(c), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 591.)