106.30 Nursing workforce survey and grant.

(1) Definition. In this section, “nurse" means a registered nurse licensed under s. 441.06 or permitted under s. 441.08, a licensed practical nurse licensed or permitted under s. 441.10, an advanced practice nurse prescriber certified under s. 441.16 (2), or a nurse-midwife licensed under s. 441.15.

(2) Survey form. Each odd-numbered year, the department of workforce development shall develop and submit to the department of safety and professional services a survey form to gather data under s. 441.01 (7) (a) 1. to assist the department of workforce development in evaluating the supply of, demand for, and turnover among nurses in this state and in determining whether there are any regional shortages of nurses, shortages of nurses in any speciality areas, or impediments to entering the nursing profession in this state.

(3) Survey results. Beginning in 2011, by September 30 of each odd-numbered year, the department shall compile, process, and evaluate the survey results and submit a report of its findings to the speaker of the assembly and the president of the senate under s. 13.172 (3) and to the governor, the secretary of health services, and the nurse resource center described in sub. (5).

(4) Costs of survey. The department may use no more than 12 percent of the amount received under s. 20.445 (1) (km) for costs incurred by the department under subs. (2) and (3).

(5) Nursing workforce grants.

(a) From the appropriation account under s. 20.445 (1) (km), the department of workforce development shall award grants equal to the amount appropriated under s. 20.445 (1) (km) minus the amount expended under sub. (4) to a nonprofit statewide nursing center that is comprised of and led by nurses and that has demonstrated coordination with constituent groups within the nursing community, including professional nursing organizations; organizations representing nurse educators, staff nurses, and nurse managers or executives; labor organizations representing nurses; the department of safety and professional services; the department of health services; and legislators who are concerned with issues affecting the nursing profession.

(b) A statewide nursing center that receives a grant under par. (a) shall use the grant moneys to develop strategies to ensure that there is a nursing workforce that is adequate to meet the current and future health care needs of this state. The statewide nursing center may use those moneys to fund activities that are aimed at ensuring such a nursing workforce, including monitoring trends in the applicant pool for nursing education programs; evaluating the effectiveness of nursing education programs in increasing access to those programs and in enhancing career mobility for nurses, especially for populations that are underrepresented in the nursing profession; and facilitating partnerships between the nursing community and other health care providers, the department of safety and professional services, the business community, the legislature, and educators to promote diversity within the nursing profession, enhance career mobility and leadership development for nurses, and achieve consensus regarding policies aimed at ensuring an adequate nursing workforce in this state.

History: 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 32.