The Secretary may award grants to or enter into contracts with eligible entities for—

(1) expanding the enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs; or

(2) providing education in new technologies, including distance learning methodologies.

The Secretary may award grants to or enter into contracts with eligible entities for—

(1) establishing or expanding nursing practice arrangements in noninstitutional settings to demonstrate methods to improve access to primary health care in medically underserved communities;

(2) providing care for underserved populations and other high-risk groups such as the elderly, individuals with HIV/AIDS, substance abusers, the homeless, and victims of domestic violence;

(3) providing coordinated care, and other skills needed to practice in existing and emerging organized health care systems; or

(4) developing cultural competencies among nurses.

The Secretary may award grants to and enter into contracts with eligible entities to enhance the nursing workforce by initiating and maintaining nurse retention programs pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2).

The Secretary may award grants to and enter into contracts with eligible entities for programs—

(A) to promote career advancement for nursing personnel in a variety of training settings, cross training or specialty training among diverse population groups, and the advancement of individuals including to become professional nurses, advanced education nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nurse assistants, and home health aides; and

(B) to assist individuals in obtaining education and training required to enter the nursing profession and advance within such profession, such as by providing career counseling and mentoring.

The Secretary may award grants to eligible entities to improve the retention of nurses and enhance patient care that is directly related to nursing activities by enhancing collaboration and communication among nurses and other health care professionals, and by promoting nurse involvement in the organizational and clinical decisionmaking processes of a health care facility.

(A) Grants The Secretary may award grants to eligible entities to improve the retention of nurses and enhance patient care that is directly related to nursing activities by enhancing collaboration and communication among nurses and other health care professionals, and by promoting nurse involvement in the organizational and clinical decisionmaking processes of a health care facility.

(B) Preference In making awards of grants under this paragraph, the Secretary shall give a preference to applicants that have not previously received an award under this paragraph.

(C) Continuation of an award The Secretary shall make continuation of any award under this paragraph beyond the second year of such award contingent on the recipient of such award having demonstrated to the Secretary measurable and substantive improvement in nurse retention or patient care.

The Secretary may award grants to or enter into contracts with eligible entities to address other areas that are of high priority to nurse education, practice, and retention, as determined by the Secretary.

For purposes of any amount of funds appropriated to carry out this section for fiscal year 2003, 2004, or 2005 that is in excess of the amount of funds appropriated to carry out this section for fiscal year 2002, the Secretary shall give preference to awarding grants or entering into contracts under subsections (a)(2) and (c).

The Secretary shall submit to the Congress before the end of each fiscal year a report on the grants awarded and the contracts entered into under this section. Each such report shall identify the overall number of such grants and contracts and provide an explanation of why each such grant or contract will meet the priority need of the nursing workforce.

For purposes of this section, the term “eligible entity” includes a school of nursing, as defined in section 296(2) of this title,,[1] a health care facility, or a partnership of such a school and facility.

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VIII, § 831, as added Pub. L. 105–392, title I, § 123(4), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3568; amended Pub. L. 107–205, title II, § 201, Aug. 1, 2002, 116 Stat. 815; Pub. L. 111–148, title V, § 5309(a), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 629.)