PRIORITY FOR FUNDING

In awarding a grant under this subchapter, the board shall give priority to a hospital-based nursing education partnership that submits a proposal that: (1) provides for collaborative educational models between one or more participating hospitals and one or more participating nursing education programs that have signed a memorandum of understanding or other written agreement under which the participants agree to comply with standards established by the board, including any standards the board may establish that: (A) provide for program management that offers a centralized decision-making process allowing for inclusion of each entity participating in the partnership; (B) provide for access to clinical training positions for students in nursing education programs that are not participating in the partnership; and (C) specify the details of any requirement relating to a student in a nursing education program participating in the partnership being employed after graduation in a hospital participating in the partnership, including any details relating to the employment of students who do not complete the program, are not offered a nursing position at the hospital, or choose to pursue other employment; (2) includes a demonstrable education model to: (A) increase the number of students enrolled in, the number of students graduating from, and the number of nursing faculty employed by each nursing education program participating in the partnership; and (B) improve student retention in each nursing education program; (3) indicates the availability of money to match all or a portion of the grant money, including matching money from a hospital, private or nonprofit entity, or institution of higher education; (4) provides for completion of a class admitted under this project to be funded by all members of the partnership if the funded project ends before the class graduation date; (5) can be replicated by other hospital-based nursing education partnerships or nursing education programs; and (6) includes plans for sustainability of the partnership beyond the grant period.