                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

CONDITIONAL GRANTS FOR CERTAIN ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSING STUDENTS (§
32.1-122.6:02)

A. The Board of Health shall establish annual nursing scholarships for students
who intend to enter an accredited advanced practice registered nurse program in
designated schools. The amounts and numbers of such scholarships shall be
determined annually as provided in the appropriation act. The Commissioner shall
act as fiscal agent for the Board in administration of the scholarship program
through a nursing scholarship committee.

B. To administer the scholarship program, the Board shall promulgate regulations
which shall include, but are not limited to:

   1. Qualifications of applicants;

   2. Criteria for award of the scholarship to assure that a recipient will
   fulfill the practice obligations established in this section;

   3. Standards to assure that these scholarships increase access to primary
   health care for individuals who are indigent or who are recipients of public
   assistance;

   4. Assurances that residents of Virginia, as determined by &#xA7; 23.1-502,
   minority students and residents of medically underserved areas are given
   preference in determining scholarship eligibility and awards;

   5. Assurances that a scholarship recipient will practice as an advanced
   practice registered nurse in an underserved area of the Commonwealth within
   two years following completion of training;

   6. Designations that students in advanced practice registered nurse
   specialties, including nurse midwife, receive priority scholarships;

   7. Methods for reimbursement to the Commonwealth by a recipient who fails to
   complete the educational program or who fails to honor the obligation to
   engage in practice as an advanced practice registered nurse for a period of
   years equal to the number of annual scholarships received;

   8. Procedures for reimbursing any recipient who has repaid the Commonwealth
   for part or all of any scholarship and who later fulfills the terms of his
   contract; and

   9. Methods for reporting data related to the recipients of the scholarships.

C. Until such time as a fully accredited nurse midwife education program is
established at any health science center in the Commonwealth, the Board may
designate that attendance at an accredited program in a nearby state is
acceptable for scholarship eligibility.

D. For purposes of this section, the term &#8220;underserved area&#8221; shall
include those medically underserved areas designated by the Board pursuant to
&#xA7; 32.1-122.5 and health professional shortage areas designated in
accordance with the criteria established in 42 C.F.R. Part 5.

E. Any scholarship amounts repaid by recipients pursuant to subdivision B 7, and
any interest thereon, shall be used only for the purposes of this section and
shall not revert to the general fund.

HISTORY: 1993, cc. 197, 337; 2000, c. 926; 2001, c. 188; 2023, c. 183.