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_ 357 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 271. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 department to administer the program. D.1. Out of this appropriation, $3,500,000 the first year and $3,500,000 $3,600,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to the Virginia Department of Health to establish a Nursing Preceptor Incentive Program. The department shall collaborate with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the Virginia Nurses Association, the Virginia Healthcare and Hospital Association, and other relevant stakeholders on a nursing student preceptor grant program. The program shall offer up to a $5,000 incentive for any Virginia licensed physician, physician's assistant, licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, or advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who, in conjunction with a licensed and accredited Virginia public or private not-for-profit school of nursing, provides a clinical education rotation of 250 hours, which is certified as having been completed by the school. The amount of the incentive may be adjusted based on the actual number of hours completed during the clinical education rotation. The program shall seek to reduce the shortage of registered nurse clinical education opportunities and establish new preceptor rotations for nursing students, especially in high demand fields such as psychiatry and anesthesiology. 2. The Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority shall develop the process for the consideration of requests for funding from the Nursing Preceptor Incentive Program. E. Out of this appropriation, $35,000 the first year and $35,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for the Nurse Loan Repayment Program to provide loan repayments for certified nurse aides. The total loan repayment allowed per certified nurse aide is limited to no more than $1,000. F.1. Out of this appropriation, $1,936,000 the first year and $1,936,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to fund nursing scholarship and loan repayment programs to recruit and retain nurses and nurse faculty, consistent with § 32.1-122.6:01 of the Code of Virginia, the Nursing Preceptor Incentive Program established in Chapter 552, 2021 Special Session I, Acts of Assembly, the Virginia Nurse Practitioner/Nurse Midwife scholarship program, the Nurse Educator Scholarship Program pursuant to 12VAC5-545- 10, the Nurse Loan Repayment Program authorized in § 32.1-122.6:04, Code of Virginia, and the Long-Term Facility Nursing Scholarship Program, authorized in § 54.1-3011.2, Code of Virginia. 2. Of the appropriation in paragraph F.1., $64,000 the first year and $64,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to fund the Long-Term Facility Nursing Scholarship, authorized in § 54.1-3011.2, Code of Virginia. The program shall offer a scholarship for any Virginia student accepted for enrollment or enrolled in an approved education program in the Commonwealth of Virginia to become a certified nurse aide, licensed practical nurse, or registered nurse, and who commits to work in a long-term care facility after graduation. For each year of scholarship money received, the participant agrees to engage in the equivalent of one year of full-time nursing practice in a long-term care facility in the Commonwealth. 3. Of the appropriation in paragraph F.1., $936,000 the first year and $936,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided for nursing scholarship, loan repayment and incentive programs based on priorities as identified by the Commissioner of Health and the ability of the department to expedite funding to recipients. 4. Of the appropriation in paragraph F.1., $300,000 the first year and $300,000 the second year from the general fund may be provided to create a scholarship to support licensed practical nurses serving as a school nurse or school nurse assistant to become a registered nurse, as funds are available. The department shall collaborate with the Department of Education in developing the scholarship program in accordance with the recommendations from the 2021 "Report of the Department of Education on School Health Personnel in Virginia Public Schools: Recommendations for Qualifications and Training". The program shall offer a scholarship, not greater than $10,000, for any licensed practical nurse currently serving as a Virginia school nurse to complete the training and education requirements to become a registered nurse in an approved education program in the Commonwealth of Virginia. For each year of the scholarship money received, the student must maintain employment as a school nurse and agree to engage in the equivalent of one year of full-time employment as a school nurse after