HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 385

AS AMENDED BY

HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO GRANTS FOR NURSE PRECEPTORS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend Chapter 1, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

Subchapter X. Grants for Healthcare Providers

§ 198. Appropriation for nursing residency programs and preceptors.

(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Preceptor” means an individual who has the following qualifications:

a. The individual is 1 of the following:

1. A registered nurse who holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or higher degree in Nursing, and a valid license to practice.

2. An advanced practice registered nurse.

3. A physician’s assistant or physician’s associate.

4. A physician.

b. The individual has a valid, unencumbered license, practices in a comparable practice focus, and has demonstrated competencies in the area of practice to which the student is assigned.

(2) “Preceptorship” means an uncompensated learning experience in which a preceptor is used to accomplish faculty-directed clinical experiences for a student enrolled in an in-state pre-licensure training program approved by the Board of Nursing. A qualifying preceptorship for a candidate pursuing an advanced practice nursing degree is a minimum of 100 clinical hours per semester. A qualifying preceptorship for a candidate pursuing a nursing degree is a minimum of 80 hours per semester.

(3) “Program administrator” means the Delaware Nurses Workforce Institute or a nonprofit organization with a similar mission and capacity to administer the program under this subchapter as determined by the Department of Health and Social Services.

(b) The program administrator shall establish a program through which hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and other clinical facilities for acute care, long-term care, public health, ambulatory care, home care, and hospice may apply to receive financial, material, and technical support from the program administrator to implement or continue preceptorship programs for individuals licensed or pursuing education that would enable an individual to become licensed under Chapter 19 of Title 24 as a registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, or advanced practice registered nurse.

(c) The program administrator must establish and update, as necessary, eligibility and participation requirements for a preceptorship program under this section. At a minimum, participation requirements for hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and other clinical facilities must include a guarantee by the hospital, federally qualified health center, or other clinical facility that the hospital, federally qualified health center, or other clinical facility will provide nursing students with a consistent preceptor assignment and provide structured preceptorship planning.

(d) To participate in the program under this section, a hospital, federally qualified health center, or other clinical facility must submit an application to the program administrator, in a form as prescribed by the program administrator. Participation in the program may be limited as funding permits.

(e) Funding in an amount annually appropriated by the General Assembly shall be made to the program administrator for the purpose of administering the program under this section. The majority of this must be disbursed to the hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and other clinical facilities approved for participation in the program, but the program administrator may use a reasonable portion to cover the administrative and overhead costs of administering the program.

(f) Preceptorship programs granted funding under this section by the program administrator must complete an annual survey provided by the program administrator to collect data on utilization, nursing placements, and outcomes of the preceptorship programs.

(g) The program administrator must provide to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Director of the Division of Legislative Services, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services, and the Executive Director of the Delaware Board of Nursing an annual report that contains, at a minimum, the following:

(1) The amount, by facility, of funding provided to hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and other clinical facilities and the amount, if any, used to cover administrative or operational accounts of the program administrator.

(2) A discussion of the results of the survey required under subsection (f) of this section.

Section 2. This Act takes effect 6 months after enactment.