---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 296j"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "296j"
heading: "Advanced education nursing grants"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/296j"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter VI — Nursing Workforce Development"
  - "Part B — Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Midwives, Nurse Anesthetists, and Other Advanced Education Nurses"
---

# §296j. Advanced education nursing grants

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) may award grants to and enter into contracts with eligible entities to meet the costs of—
  - (1) [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) that support the enhancement of advanced nursing education and practice; and
  - (2) traineeships for individuals in advanced nursing education [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4).
- (b) **Definition of advanced education nurses—** For purposes of this section, the term “advanced education nurses” means individuals trained in advanced degree [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) including individuals in combined R.N./graduate degree [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), post-nursing master’s certificate [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), or, in the case of nurse midwives, in certificate [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) in existence on the date that is one day prior to November 13, 1998, to serve as nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, nurse educators, nurse [administrators](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1), clinical nurse leaders, or public health nurses, or in other nurse specialties determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) to require advanced education.
- (c) **Authorized nurse practitioner—** Nurse practitioner [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) eligible for support under this section are educational [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) for registered nurses (irrespective of the type of [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6) of nursing in which the nurses received their training) that—
  - (1) meet guidelines prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c); and
  - (2) have as their objective the education of nurses who will upon completion of their studies in such [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), be qualified to effectively provide primary health care, including primary health care in homes and in ambulatory care facilities, long-term care facilities, acute care, and other health care settings.
- (d) **Authorized nurse-midwifery programs—** Midwifery [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) that are eligible for support under this section are educational [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) that—
  - (1) have as their objective the education of midwives; and
  - (2) are accredited by the American College of Nurse-Midwives Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education.
- (e) **Authorized nurse anesthesia programs—** Nurse anesthesia [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) eligible for support under this section are education [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) that—
  - (1) provide registered nurses with full-time anesthetist education; and
  - (2) are accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational [Programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4).
- (f) **Authorized clinical nurse specialist programs—** Clinical nurse specialist [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) eligible for support under this section are education [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) that—
  - (1) provide registered nurses with full-time clinical nurse specialist education; and
  - (2) have as their objective the education of clinical nurse specialists who will, upon completion of such a [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), be qualified to effectively provide care through the wellness and illness continuum to inpatients and outpatients experiencing acute and chronic illness.
- (g) **Other authorized educational programs—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall prescribe guidelines as appropriate for other advanced nurse education [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) eligible for support under this section.
- (h) **Traineeships—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) may not award a grant to an applicant under [subsection (a)](#a) unless the applicant involved agrees that traineeships provided with the grant will only pay all or part of the costs of—
    - (A) the tuition, books, and fees of the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) of advanced nurse education with respect to which the traineeship is provided; and
    - (B) the reasonable living expenses of the individual during the period for which the traineeship is provided.
  - (2) **Special consideration—** In making awards of grants and contracts under [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2), the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall give special consideration to an eligible entity that agrees to expend the award to train advanced education nurses who will practice in health professional shortage areas designated under [section 254e of this title](/usc/42/254e.md).

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VIII, § 811, as added Pub. L. 105–392, title I, § 123(4), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3566; amended Pub. L. 111–148, title V, § 5308, Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 629; Pub. L. 116–136, div. A, title III, § 3404(a)(5), Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 393.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 296j, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VIII, § 815, as added July 29, 1975, Pub. L. 94–63, title IX, § 921, 89 Stat. 358; amended Aug. 13, 1981, Pub. L. 97–35, title XXVII, § 2752, 95 Stat. 929, set forth provisions relating to authorization, terms and conditions, etc., respecting grants for operational costs or meeting accreditation requirements, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 99–92, §§ 9(a)(1), 10(a), Aug. 16, 1985, 99 Stat. 400, 402, effective Oct. 1, 1985.

### Amendments

2020—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3404(a)(5)(A), substituted “R.N./graduate” for “R.N./Master’s” and inserted “clinical nurse leaders,” after “nurse administrators,”.

Subsecs. (f) to (h). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3404(a)(5)(B), (C), added subsec. (f) and redesignated former subsecs. (f) and (g) as (g) and (h), respectively.

2010—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–148, § 5308(1), struck out “and nurse midwifery programs” after “practitioner” in heading and “and nurse midwifery” after “practitioner” in introductory provisions.

Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 111–148, § 5308(3), (4), added subsec. (d) and redesignated former subsec. (d) as (e). Former subsec. (e) redesignated (f).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 111–148, § 5308(3), redesignated subsec. (e) as (f). Former subsec. (f) redesignated (g).

Subsec. (f)(2), (3). Pub. L. 111–148, § 5308(2), redesignated par. (3) as (2) and struck out former par. (2). Prior to amendment, text of par. (2) read as follows: “The Secretary may not obligate more than 10 percent of the traineeships under subsection (a) of this section for individuals in doctorate degree programs.”

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 111–148, § 5308(3), redesignated subsec. (f) as (g).