text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Nursing School Capacity Act of 
  2005''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      The Congress finds as follows:
              (1) Researchers in the field of public health have 
          identified the need for a national study to identify 
          constraints encountered by schools of nursing in graduating the 
          number of nurses sufficient to meet the health care needs of 
          the United States.
              (2) The shortage of qualified registered nurses has 
          adversely affected the health care system of the United States.
              (3) Individual States have had varying degrees of success 
          with programs designed to increase the recruitment and 
          retention of nurses.
              (4) Schools of nursing have been unable to provide a 
          sufficient number of qualified graduates to meet the workforce 
          needs.
              (5) Many nurses are approaching the age of retirement, and 
          the problem worsens each year.
              (6) In 2004, an estimated 125,000 applications from 
          qualified applicants were rejected by schools of nursing, due 
          to a shortage of faculty and a lack of capacity for additional 
          students.
  
  SEC. 3. STUDY WITH RESPECT TO CONSTRAINTS WITH RESPECT TO SCHOOLS OF 
                NURSING.
  
      (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
  request the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences 
  to enter into an agreement under which the Institute conducts a study 
  for the purpose of--
              (1) identifying constraints encountered by schools of 
          nursing in admitting and graduating the number of registered 
          nurses necessary to ensure patient safety and meet the need for 
          quality assurance in the provision of health care; and
              (2) developing recommendations to alleviate the constraints 
          on a short-term and long-term basis.
      (b) Certain Components.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
  agreement under subsection (a) provides that the study under such 
  subsection will include information on the following:
              (1) The trends in applications for attendance at schools of 
          nursing that are relevant to the purpose described in such 
          subsection, including trends regarding applicants who are 
          accepted for enrollment and applicants who are not accepted, 
          particularly qualified applicants who are not accepted.
              (2) The number and demographic characteristics of entry-
          level and graduate students currently enrolled in schools of 
          nursing, the retention rates at the schools, and the number of 
          recent graduates from the schools, as compared to previous 
          years and to the projected need for registered nurses based on 
          two-year, five-year, and ten-year projections.
              (3) The number and demographic characteristics of nurses 
          who pursue graduate education in nursing and non-nursing 
          programs but do not pursue faculty positions in schools of 
          nursing, the reasons therefor, including any regulatory 
          barriers to choosing to pursue such positions, and the effect 
          of such decisions on the ability of the schools to obtain 
          adequate numbers of faculty members.
              (4) The extent to which entry-level graduates of the 
          schools are satisfied with their educational preparation, 
          including their participation in nurse externships, 
          internships, and residency programs, and to which they are able 
          to effectively transition into the nursing workforce.
              (5) The satisfaction of nurse managers and administrators 
          with respect to the preparation and performance levels of 
          entry-level graduates from the schools after one-year, three-
          year, and five-years of practice, respectively.
              (6) The extent to which the current salary, benefit 
          structures, and characteristics of the workplace, including the 
          number of nurses who are presently serving in faculty 
          positions, influence the career path of nurses who have pursued 
          graduate education.
              (7) The extent to which the use of innovative technologies 
          for didactic and clinical nursing education might provide for 
          an increase in the ability of schools of nursing to train 
          qualified nurses.
      (c) Recommendations.--Recommendations under subsection (a)(2) may 
  include recommendations for legislative or administrative changes at 
  the Federal or State level, and measures that can be taken in the 
  private sector--
              (1) to facilitate the recruitment of students into the 
          nursing profession;
              (2) to facilitate the retention of nurses in the workplace; 
          and
              (3) to improve the resources and ability of the education 
          and health care systems to prepare a sufficient number of 
          qualified registered nurses.
      (d) Methodology of Study.--
              (1) Scope.--The Secretary shall ensure that the agreement 
          under subsection (a) provides that the study under such 
          subsection will consider the perspectives of nurses and 
          physicians in each of the various types of inpatient, 
          outpatient, and residential facilities in the health care 
          delivery system; faculty and administrators of schools of 
          nursing; providers of health plans or health insurance; and 
          consumers.
              (2) Consultation with relevant organization.--The Secretary 
          shall ensure that the agreement under subsection (a) provides 
          that relevant agencies and organizations with expertise on the 
          nursing shortage will be consulted with respect to the study 
          under such subsection, including but not limited to the 
          following:
                      (A) The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
                      (B) The American Academy of Nursing.
                      (C) The American Association of Colleges of 
                  Nursing.
                      (D) The American Nurses Association.
                      (E) The American Organization of Nurse Executives.
                      (F) The National Institute of Nursing Research.
                      (G) The National League for Nursing.
                      (H) The National Organization for Associate Degree 
                  Nursing.
                      (I) The National Student Nurses Association.
      (e) Report.--The Secretary shall ensure that the agreement under 
  subsection (a) provides that not later than 18 months after the date of 
  the enactment of this Act, a report providing the findings and 
  recommendations made in the study under such subsection will be 
  submitted to the Secretary, the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
  House of Representatives, and the Committee on Health, Labor, 
  Education, and Pensions of the Senate.
      (f) Other Organization.--If the Institute declines to conduct the 
  study under subsection (a), the Secretary may enter into an agreement 
  with another appropriate private entity to conduct the study.
      (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
  appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
  
  SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
  
      For purposes of this Act:
              (1) The term ``Institute'' means the Institute of Medicine 
          of the National Academy of Sciences.
              (2)(A) The term ``school of nursing'' means a collegiate, 
          associate degree, or diploma school of nursing in a State.
              (B) The terms ``collegiate school of nursing'', ``associate 
          degree school of nursing'', and ``diploma school of nursing'' 
          have the meanings given to such terms in section 801 of the 
          Public Health Service Act.
              (3) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health 
          and Human Services.
target: Nursing School Capacity Act of 2005 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to request that the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) conduct a study to: (1) identify constraints encountered by schools of nursing in admitting and graduating the number of registered nurses necessary to ensure patient safety and meet the need for quality assurance in the provision of health care; and (2) develop recommendations to alleviate the constraints on a short-term and long-term basis. Directs the Secretary to provide that the study consider the perspectives of: (1) nurses and physicians in inpatient, outpatient, and residential facilities; (2) faculty and administrators of nursing schools; (3) providers of health plans or health insurance; and (4) consumers.
feat_title: To provide for a study by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences to identify constraints encountered by schools of nursing in admitting and graduating the number of nurses sufficient to meet the health care needs of the United States, and for other purposes.