Nurse Reinvestment Act Becomes Law

Legislation designed to address the nursing shortage was signed into law by President Bush on August 1, following approval by the House and Senate in July. Written by a former nurse (Rep. Lois Capps of California), the Nurse Reinvestment Act:

• encourages the development of a public service announcement campaign to promote the nursing profession
• offers scholarships and loan repayment to nursing students who agree to work in facilities that have critical nursing shortages for two years following their graduation
• provides grants to nursing schools and health care facilities to expand enrollment in baccalaureate programs, including training in priority areas such as geriatrics
• provides grants for career ladder programs designed to help more people become nurses, certified nurses assistants, and home health aides
• encourages programs that improve nurse retention by promoting nurse involvement in organizational and clinical decision-making in health care facilities.

Congress has not yet attached a dollar amount to the bill and must still locate adequate funding. Groups such as the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the American Nurses Association, and the American Hospital Association have urged Congress to appropriate $250 million to support the provisions of the act during fiscal year 2003.

From "Celebration! Yes or No?" by Gail O. Guterl, Advance for Nurses, August 19, 2002