Proposal Presented for the Master Plan for Aging (#54)
Disclaimer
Throughout the MPA process, more than 100 proposals were developed thanks in particular to thousands of hours of work by external stakeholders and members of the public. These proposals and the MPA Council commentary are being submitted to the Governor and shared with policymakers and the public to inform policymaking. These proposals represent a starting point for discussion. Further discussion is necessary between relevant state agencies and stakeholders to both refine these proposals and assess which may be appropriate to adopt and implement.
Summary
Increase the number of nurse educators – school faculty and clinical preceptors – in NYS by expanding scholarship and loan forgiveness programs, consideration of tax incentives for those serving as clinical nurse preceptors and facilitating private-educational partnerships that would offer joint appointments for clinical educators/faculty.
Justification
New York’s nursing workforce lacks sufficient age-friendly and geriatric expertise and education. A reason for the reduced numbers of nurses with geriatric expertise is that clinical nursing education opportunities and student capacity are limited due to faculty shortages, due in-part, to reduced salaries for the critical educator positions. Scholarships, loan forgiveness opportunities, tax incentives, and private-educational partnerships which offer joint-appointments for nurse educators may incentivize improved nursing education, therefore addressing the workforce crisis.
Full Proposal
Increase the number of nurse educators – school faculty and clinical preceptors – in NYS to ensure the nursing pipeline is robust. Achieve this by:
- Providing scholarships and loan forgiveness with service obligations for prospective nursing faculty at all education levels, including new eligibility for faculty in Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) programs, through an expansion of eligibility and an increase in financial awards for the NYS Patricia McGee Nursing Faculty Scholarship Program and the NYS Nursing Faculty Loan Forgiveness (NFLF) Incentive Program
- Providing tax incentives for individuals who serve as nurse clinical preceptors in settings that serve older adults and individuals with disabilities requiring LTSS, supporting educational institutions by facilitating private-educational partnerships that would offer joint appointments for clinical educators/faculty, or by establishing a New York State specific Graduate Nurse Education demonstration project, similar to the federal program, that would partner healthcare institutions with training programs and support the costs of training and preceptors at clinical sites.
MPA Council Commentary
This proposal is categorized as long-term. Policymakers may reference this proposal during the legislative session, as implementation would likely require legislative action to incorporate additional nursing titles (if needed) into existing loan forgiveness programs including the New York State Nurses Across New York (NANY) initiative. In addition, further review would be needed to assess the operational and administrative feasibility as well as the fiscal implications of this proposal. Any funding needs would be subject to the annual budget process and availability of resources.