AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO GRANTS FOR NURSE PRECEPTORS.

Eligible facilities expanded from hospitals only to a wider range of clinical facility types: acute care, long-term care, public health, ambulatory care, home care, and hospice. This effectively includes federally qualified health centers under the broader 'clinical facilities' language.

New definitions added for 'preceptor' (requiring specific credentials such as BSN or higher, APRN, PA, or physician with valid license and comparable practice focus), 'preceptorship' (uncompensated learning experience with minimum 100 hours per semester for advanced practice nursing and 80 hours for nursing degrees), and 'program administrator' (Delaware Nurses Workforce Institute or similar nonprofit).

Annual appropriation by the General Assembly to the program administrator, with the majority disbursed to participating facilities and a reasonable portion available for administrative and overhead costs.

Participating facilities must guarantee consistent preceptor assignment and structured preceptorship planning for nursing students. Participation may be limited as funding permits.

Annual survey requirement to collect data on utilization, nursing placements, and outcomes, plus an annual report to legislative leadership, the Department of Health and Social Services, and the Delaware Board of Nursing detailing funding amounts by facility and survey results.

The Act takes effect 6 months after enactment.

Sponsor list changed: Rep. Jones Giltner replaced by Sen. Huxtable as co-sponsor, with a large number of additional House and Senate co-sponsors added.