ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
FINAL
REVISED
board of
psychologist examiners; reciprocity
(NOW: nursing education programs; expansion)
Purpose
Requires colleges and universities to create a caregiver and resource expansion (CARE) program to increase the number of nurses in the State.
According to the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association (AzHHA), for every eight registered nurses who retire, three graduate from Arizona nursing schools in the State. Additionally, the AzHHA maintains the capacity in Arizona’s nursing schools has remained static for ten years and nursing faculty salaries are noncompetitive when compared to hospital salaries. Finally, the AzHHA estimates the average hospital vacancy rate for registered nurses is 16 percent and Arizona will have a shortage of 434,000 nurses by 2020.
Currently, there are 20 registered nurse education programs in Arizona offering associate, baccalaureate, masters or doctorate degrees that graduate approximately 1,000 students per year. All three state universities have student waiting lists for entrance into school nursing programs.
S.B. 1260 addresses the shortage of practicing nurses in Arizona by requiring a public and private partnership between colleges, universities, hospitals and health care organizations to develop a five-year CARE program to increase the number of persons graduating from Arizona’s nursing programs from 1,000 to 2,000 by FY 2006-2007. The CARE program requires the Arizona Board of Regents and the State Board of Directors for Community Colleges to develop a plan for budget requests to cover costs associated with the expansion of nursing education programs.
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state general fund for FY 2003-2004. The Joint Legislative Budget Committee staff fiscal note to S.B. 1154, which is similar to S.B. 1260, indicates state general fund expenditures could range from $0 to $8 million in FY 2004-2005, $0 to $12 million in FY 2005-2006 and $0 to $16 million in FY 2006-2007. Additionally, if more nursing students are enrolled, there could be additional tuition revenue at each university.
Provisions
1. Requires public universities, community colleges and private universities with nursing education programs, hospitals and health care organizations to develop a CARE program as a five-year plan to increase the number of nurses in Arizona’s nursing education programs.
2. Requires the CARE program to include plans to:
a. Increase the number of graduates from nursing education programs to 2,000 persons by the end of academic year 2006-2007.
b. Increase the capacity of baccalaureate nursing programs at state public universities.
c. Increase the capacity of associate degree nursing programs at community colleges.
d. Encourage private educational institutions to increase capacity of existing nursing programs.
e. For FY 2003-2004:
i. Recommend target nursing education program enrollment expansion of 200 new students.
ii. Recommend a plan that has no fiscal impact to the State, except for funding for student enrollment growth and university growth.
iii. Recommend a commitment from hospitals to provide voluntary or private funding for clinical rotations and adjunct faculty for nursing programs.
iv. Recommend the plan to base the obligation for universities to expand enrollment consistent with the level of resources committed by hospitals.
f. For FY 2004-2005 through FY 2006-2007:
i. Recommend the expansion of nursing education programs by 200 students each year.
ii. Recommend budget requests for the Arizona Board of Regents and the State Board of Directors for Community Colleges to cover costs to expand nursing education programs.
iii. Recommend hospitals provide expanded opportunities for clinical rotations.
3. Repeals this act on January 1, 2008.
4. Provides for a general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by the House of Representatives
· Adopted the strike everything amendment.
HEA 4/15/02 DPA/SE 6-0-0-4 Final Read 4/30/02 28-0-2-0
3rd Read 4/22/02 57-0-3-0
Signed by Governor 5/6/02
Chapter 171
Prepared by Senate Staff
August 22, 2002