Article 3. Geriatric Nurse Practitioner And Clinical Nurse Specialist Scholarship Program of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 107. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 5. >> Article 3.

The Legislature hereby finds and declares that more and better qualified medical care is needed for residents of health care facilities. The Legislature further finds that the shortage of physicians available to work in skilled nursing facilities and other facilities providing care primarily to geriatric patients is expected to continue. Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to promote more and better-qualified medical care for geriatric patients by increasing training opportunities for geriatric nurse practitioners and geriatric clinical nurse specialists and by providing an incentive for nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists to practice in skilled nursing facilities or other facilities providing care primarily to geriatric patients. It is not the intent of the Legislature in enacting this article to change the existing scope of practice of nurse practitioners or clinical nurse specialists.

For purposes of this article:
  (a) A "geriatric clinical nurse specialist" is a registered nurse, licensed by the Board of Registered Nursing, who has completed a master's program in nursing with an emphasis on care of elders.
  (b) A "geriatric nurse practitioner" is a registered nurse, licensed by the Board of Registered Nursing as a nurse practitioner, who has completed an educational program in gerontological nursing, or family or adult nursing with an emphasis on care of elders.

(a) There is hereby created the Geriatric Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Nurse Specialist Scholarship Program within the Health Professions Education Foundation. Persons participating in this program shall be persons enrolled in nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist programs in this state who agree in writing prior to graduation to practice for a period of time, to be determined in accordance with paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), as geriatric nurse practitioners or geriatric clinical nurse specialists either in skilled nursing facilities licensed pursuant to Section 1250 or in other settings where care is provided primarily to geriatric patients. This program shall be administered in accordance with Article 1 (commencing with Section 128330), and Article 2 (commencing with Section 128375), except that all funds shall be used only for geriatric nurse practitioners and geriatric clinical nurse specialists and except that the programs shall be available only to those geriatric nurse practitioners and geriatric clinical nurse specialists who agree to practice in skilled nursing facilities or other settings caring for geriatric patients.
  (b) The Health Professions Education Foundation shall make recommendations to the director of the office concerning both of the following:
  (1) A standard contractual agreement to be signed by the director and any student who has received an award to practice in a skilled nursing facility or other setting caring for geriatric patients that would require a period of obligated professional service. The obligated professional service shall be in direct patient care. The obligated professional service may be performed by a geriatric nurse practitioner or geriatric clinical nurse specialist either as an employee or independent contractor of a skilled nursing facility or other setting caring for geriatric patients, or as an employee or independent contractor of a physician providing care for geriatric patients in a skilled nursing facility or other setting. The agreement shall include a clause entitling the state to recover the funds awarded plus the maximum allowable interest for failure to begin or complete the service obligation.
  (2) Maximum allowable amounts for scholarships and other financial assistance in order to assure the most effective use of these funds.
  (c) To the extent feasible and appropriate, the Health Professions Education Foundation shall assure that the standard contractual agreement and other aspects of the Geriatric Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Nurse Specialist Scholarship Program are substantially similar to those developed for the Registered Nurse Education Program.

Awards shall be coordinated with other financial assistance. An effort shall be made to reach all nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist education programs in California.

In developing this program, the Health Professions Education Foundation shall solicit the advice of the representatives of the Board of Registered Nursing, the Student Aid Commission, the California Nurses Association, the California Association of Health Facilities, the California Association of Homes for the Aging, the Chancellor of the California State University, the President of the University of California, and other entities as may be appropriate.

This program shall be funded through the Health Professions Education Fund pursuant to Section 128355.