Nurse Education Reauthorization Act of 1988

Nursing Shortage Reduction and Education Extension Act of 1988 - Title I: Initiatives to Reduce Nursing Shortages - Amends title VIII (Nursing Education) of the Public Health Service Act to create a new part on initiatives to reduce nursing shortages.

Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants for demonstrating innovative hospital nursing practice models which include restructuring the role of the nurse, testing innovative wage structures, and evaluating the effectiveness of various benefits. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1989 through 1991.

Directs the Secretary to provide, directly or through contracts, for evaluation of the models demonstrated and for dissemination of the information developed.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to nurse training entities: (1) to demonstrate innovative nursing practice models for services in the home and long-term care facilities designed to increase recruitment and retention of nurses and improve nursing care; and (2) to develop projects to increase the exposure of nursing students to clinical practice in nursing home, home health, and gerontologic settings. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1989 through 1991.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants for the identification of specific community nursing needs and the development and establishment of programs of educational outreach and nurse recruitment. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1989 through 1991.

Title II: Special Projects - Amends title VIII (Nurse Education) of the Public Health Service Act to replace provisions relating to nursing education opportunities for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds with a new subpart on the same topic. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants and enter into contracts for special projects to increase nursing education opportunities for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Prohibits the Secretary from approving or disapproving an application for a grant or contract until after consultation with the National Advisory Council on Nursing Training. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1989 through 1991.

Removes provisions authorizing the Secretary to make grants and enter into contracts for special projects to: (1) provide retraining for nurses after periods of professional inactivity; (2) demonstrate clinical nurse education programs which combine educational curricula and clinical practice; and (3) demonstrate methods to encourage nursing graduates to practice in health manpower shortage areas.

Replaces provisions authorizing grants and contracts for continuing education for nurses with provisions authorizing the Secretary to make grants and enter into contracts for special projects to demonstrate improved geriatric nursing training.

Replaces provisions authorizing grants and contracts to increase the supply or improve the distribution of nurses with provisions authorizing the Secretary to make grants and enter into contracts for special projects to increase the supply of nurses, including bilingual nurses, to meet the needs of rural areas.

Revises the description of nursing education special projects eligible for certain grants and contracts with regard to: (1) priorities in training and education to upgrade the skills of paraprofessional nursing personnel; (2) development of curricula for certain nursing baccalaureate and masters degree situations; (3) facilitation of the completion of advanced nurse education programs by certain specialists; and (4) provision of nursing education courses to rural areas through telecommunications via satellite.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants and enter into contracts for special projects to collect the names and addresses of health facilities and nursing students and nurses willing to enter into agreements under which the facilities would repay at least 25 percent of the educational loans for each year of nursing service of the individual in that facility.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants and enter into contracts for geriatric nursing training. Requires applications for grants and contracts to be subject to peer review. Prohibits the Secretary from approving or disapproving an application unless the Secretary has received recommendations from the peer review group and has consulted with the National Advisory Council on Nurse Training.

Authorizes appropriations for grants and contracts for special projects in nurse education and for advanced nurse education for FY 1989 through 1991.

Revises the guidelines for programs for the education of nurse practitioners and nurse midwives to require that they have not less than six full-time equivalent students. (Current law requires that they have eight students.)

Allows service commitments by nurse practitioner or nurse midwife traineeship recipients to include service in an Indian Health Service health center, a Native Hawaiian health center, a migrant health center, or a community health center in addition to the currently-allowed service in a health manpower shortage area or a public health care facility.

Authorizes appropriations for certain nurse practitioner and nurse midwife programs for FY 1989 through 1991.

Title III: Assistance to Nursing Students - Authorizes the Secretary to make grants for traineeships for students enrolled at least half-time in nursing masters degree programs who agree to complete the degree requirements by the end of the academic year in which the student is to receive the traineeship.

Authorizes appropriations for traineeships for advanced education of professional nurses for FY 1989 through 1991.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants for traineeships for licensed registered nurses to become nurse anesthetists and for projects to develop and operate programs for the education of nurse anesthetists.

Authorizes appropriations for traineeships for nurse anesthetists for FY 1989 through 1991.

Includes, as qualifying for loan repayment under specified provisions, nursing service in an Indian Health Service health center, a Native Hawaiian health center, a public hospital, a migrant health center, a community health center, a nonprofit nursing facility, or a health facility determined by the Secretary to have a critical shortage of nurses. Sets forth financial need and geographic priorities in entering into loan repayment agreements. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1989 through 1991.

Amends title VIII (Nurse Education) of the Public Health Service Act to create a new subpart on scholarships. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants for scholarships for nursing students in financial need. Requires applicant schools to agree to: (1) give priority in providing scholarships to individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds; and (2) require student recipients of the scholarships to agree to serve as nurses at least two years in specified types of facilities. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1989 through 1991.

Title IV: General Provisions of Title VIII - Changes the composition of the National Advisory Council on Nurse Training to increase the number of members and require representation by practicing professional nurses and from associate degree schools of nursing.

Amends title VIII (Nurse Education) of the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide, directly or through contract, for evaluations of projects carried out under this title and for dissemination of information developed as a result of the projects. Sets forth reporting requirements.

Title V: Effective Date - Sets forth the effective dates of this Act.