§ 6-81-1204 - Graduate nursing students -- Rural advanced nursing practice or nurse educator loan contracts -- Obligations and conditions. - Arkansas Statutes

6-81-1204. Graduate nursing students -- Rural advanced nursing practice or nurse educator loan contracts -- Obligations and conditions.

(a) (1) (A) The maximum amount of each master's rural advanced nursing practice or nurse educator loan for full-time applicants shall not exceed eight thousand dollars ($8,000) per academic year.

(B) The maximum amount of each Doctor of Philosophy in nursing loan for full-time applicants shall not exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) per academic year.

(C) Loans for part-time applicants shall be prorated as determined by the Graduate Nurse Educator Loan and Scholarship Board.

(2) (A) The maximum number of years a master's recipient may receive funding shall not exceed two (2) years or four (4) regular academic semesters of full-time enrollment or four (4) years or eight (8) regular academic semesters of part-time enrollment.

(B) The maximum number of years a doctoral recipient may receive funding shall not exceed four (4) years or eight (8) regular academic semesters of full-time enrollment or six (6) years or twelve (12) regular academic semesters of part-time enrollment.

(b) (1) The board shall enter a loan contract with the applicant to whom a rural advanced nursing practice or nurse educator loan is made.

(2) The rural advanced nursing practice or nurse educator loan contract shall be approved by the Attorney General and shall be signed by the chair of the board and the applicant.

(c) Each applicant to whom an advanced nursing practice or nurse educator loan or loans is granted by the board shall execute a written loan contract which shall incorporate the following obligations and conditions:

(1) (A) (i) The recipient of an advanced nursing practice or nurse educator loan or loans shall bindingly contract that, upon completion of his or her graduate degree in nursing and upon national certification as a nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, or nursing supervisor in the case of recipients of advanced nursing practice loans, he or she shall practice as an advanced nursing practitioner full time in an Arkansas rural community or the Department of Health.

(ii) In the case of the nurse educator recipient, he or she shall teach full time during the academic year in an Arkansas school of nursing or as a nurse administrator or work as a nursing administrator in an Arkansas complex health care agency for one (1) year.

(B) For each continuous whole calendar year of advanced nursing or academic calendar year for teaching or calendar year for nursing administration in accordance with subdivision (c)(1)(A) of this section, the board shall cancel, by converting to a scholarship grant, the full amount of one (1) year's loan, plus accrued interest; and

(2) (A) In the event that any advanced nursing practice or nurse educator loan recipient under this subchapter does not engage in the practice of advanced nursing practice, teach in an Arkansas school of nursing, or serve as a nursing administrator in an Arkansas complex health care agency in accordance with the terms of this section and of his or her loan contract in order to have the loan contract recognized as a scholarship, the recipient shall remain obligated to repay the loan or loans received together with interest thereon at the maximum rate allowed by Arkansas law or the federal discount rate plus five percent (5%) per annum, whichever is the lesser, the interest to accrue from the date each payment of funds was received by the recipient.

(B) No interest shall accrue nor obligation to repay the principal sums accrued during any period of time that the recipient involuntarily serves on active duty in the United States armed forces.

(C) Repayment of principal with interest shall be due and payable in full at the earliest to occur of the following events:

(i) Failure to remain enrolled continuously and in good academic standing to completion of a graduate nursing degree for any reason other than temporary personal illness;

(ii) (a) Failure to practice as an advanced nursing practitioner on a regularly sustained basis while residing in an Arkansas community or working in a department unit, as defined in 6-81-1201, or failure to serve as a nursing faculty member in an Arkansas school of nursing or serve as a nursing administrator in an Arkansas complex health care agency.

(b) However, the board may waive the residency requirement on a case-by-case basis; or

(iii) Failure to establish an advanced nursing practice within six (6) months following graduation from an accredited graduate nursing program or within six (6) months after receiving national certification, whichever is later, or failure to assume a nurse faculty position in an Arkansas school of nursing or to assume a nursing administrator position in an Arkansas complex healthcare agency within six (6) months following graduation unless otherwise deferred by approval of the board.

(D) In the event of the death of the recipient, all loans unpaid shall be due and payable.

(d) The board may amend agreements entered into with any student who is currently enrolled as a graduate nursing student as approved by the board pursuant to this section.