Critical Shortage Facilities

Nurses General Nursing

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Can anyone tell me whats considered a Critical Shortage Facility? Would that be all hospitals? I received this information from one of the schools informational meetings about the Federal Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program, that will pay a certain portion of your student loan if you agree to work at one of these facilities for a year or up to three years. Has anyone heard of this? The website is http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/loanrepay.htm for anyone who wants to look into this.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

No it's not all facilities. You need to find the list for your area.

If you live in Florida, here is it. I had it bookmarked because I'm waiting to finish my BSN to see if they reimburse RN to BSN because my facility is on the list.

http://www.nslfp.com/designated_sites.htm

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Specializes in NICU.

When I applied for the NELRP, I just went to my HR department and asked them if our hospital qualifies. They told me yes our hospital qualifies as a "critical shortage facility" and they had to give me a letter that stated so (the letter is required for NELRP application).

I'd recommend just calling your HR deparment and asking them, because you'll need to get a letter from them anyway .... so you might as well get that in the mean time, kill two birds with one stone.

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No it's not all facilities. You need to find the list for your area.

If you live in Florida, here is it. I had it bookmarked because I'm waiting to finish my BSN to see if they reimburse RN to BSN because my facility is on the list.

http://www.nslfp.com/designated_sites.htm

Tweety, how would I find that site for Michigan?

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The government can provide you with a list OR you could ask your facility if they are on that list and then verify that it is so.

If I recall correctly, the application process was a bit lengthy. Two yrs. after I applied I was contacted from the Federal level to inquire as to whether I was still interested.

I agreed and signed contract. At that time the contract was for 1 yr. working full-time and remaining in good standing with my "needs" employer. It was totally up to this Federal program whether they would pick-up the following two yrs. as Congress funds the program from yr. to yr. Happily for me they did.

A few things you should know:

The rules are strict and unbending. You are beholding to your "needs" facility for the contracted amount of time; the first yr. for sure and the following two yrs. if your contract is continued. Should you be fired and/or decide to go elsewhere it must be to another "needs" facility as outlined in the contract. There cannot be a lapse in employment from one needs facility to another. Also, all that this program pays toward your student loans MUST be reported as earned income. If I recall correctly this requires a bit different way to file income tax. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A TAX SPECIALIST FILE FOR YOU (it was for me) so that all your i's are dotted and t's are crossed. Don't overlook the fine print as you are beholding to every word!

BE AWARE: should you be unable to fulfill your contract then all monies given to date of failure must be repaid in full. I don't recall if it was an immediate repayment or negotiated installments.

I contracted this program several yrs. ago and the rules may have changed a bit since then. At any rate, I'd recommend you look at a list of "needs" facilities and program information before applying and definately before signing contract. That way you'll know the qualifying facilities in your area in the event that you'd need to change employers.

Another thing to know is that a designation of a "needs" facility may not be all about the Nursing shortage. It may be due to being rural or hard-core urban. It could also be the facility politics or level of staffing that has them on that list.

Anyway, if you can meet contract it certainly can help with your Nursing debt.

I wish you well. Welcome to Nursing!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I found it on our Department of Health Site. Perhaps you can run a search of Michigans?

http://www.com.msu.edu/micrh/CAH_Chronicle/jan03.pdf

ttp://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2945_40012-135399--,00.html

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Just looked at that list for Michigan. Most are in the Upper Peninsula, which also makes them very rural. Or up north and very up north. So they qualify under rural needs that make it harder to get nurses. Not because of urban areas.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

critical shortage facilities (csfs)

1) types of critical shortage facilities

2) ineligible facilities

funding preferences

last year's applicants

  • 6,611 applicants
  • 3,320 completed applications
  • 1600 applicants with first preference for funding
  • 220 applicants given scholarship awards

http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/scholarship/

enrollment closed on june 30th, 07 for 2007-2008 year. usually opens april 1st to june 30th each year.

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locate: [color=#006699]health professional shortage areas

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Check your state Dept of Health website. Sometimes states have a similar program for nurses working with underserved opulations. (eg rural, mental health, LTC etc.)

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Just looked at that list for Michigan. Most are in the Upper Peninsula, which also makes them very rural. Or up north and very up north. So they qualify under rural needs that make it harder to get nurses. Not because of urban areas.

Dear Ms Suzanne,

I am a British nurse and had an interview for one hospital in MD for H1C visa. Contract is for 2-3 yrs. Is this a good way of going there, on H1C specially that im a foreign national. After the said contract, will i be eligible to apply to other hospitals on a different visa(green card)?

Need your help before I sign anything.

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