Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 94 Part 1.djvu/1090

 94 STAT. 1040

PUBLIC LAW 96-330—AUG. 26, 1980 STUDY OF PERSONNEL NEEDS OF VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

38 USC 4101 et seq.

Ante, p. 1030.

Report to congressional committees.

SEC. 117. (a) In order to evaluate the need for, and the likely impact on the ability of the Veterans' Administration to meet most effectively the personnel needs of the Veterans' Administration healthcare program of, the conversion or non-conversion of employees of the Veterans' Administration's Department of Medicine and Surgery who are providing direct patient-care services or services incident to direct patient-care services (as determined by the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs for the purposes of paragraph (1) of section 4107(g) of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 112) to the pay schedules and other administrative provisions of chapter 73 of title 38, United States Code, the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs shall conduct a study to determine (1) which, if any, of the categories of such employees should be so converted in order to improve patient care, alleviate recruitment and retention problems regarding such personnel, and improve employee morale, and (2) the desirability of making any such categories of personnel which are not so converted eligible for premium pay under the new paragraph (10) which would have been added to section 4107(e) of such title by the amendment of the Senate to the bill H.R. 7102, Ninety-sixth Congress, agreed to by the Senate on June 5, 1980, and the impact of making such categories of personnel eligible for such pay under such paragraph. (b) Not later than the end of the eighteen-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the results of such study, together with any recommendations for administrative or legislative action, or both, that the Administrator considers appropriate based on the results of such study and other pertinent information. STUDY AND PILOT PROGRAM ON NURSE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION

38 USC 4104 note.

Report to Congress.

SEC. 118. (a) In order to evaluate the effectiveness of various actions in enabling the Veterans' Administration to recruit and retain sufficient qualified nursing personnel (including licensed practical or vocational nurses and nursing assistants) capable of providing quality care for eligible veterans in Veterans' Administration health-care facilities, the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, in consultation with the Chief Medical Director of the Veterans' Administration, shall conduct a pilot program and study for a period of not less than twenty-four and not more than thirty-six months, in not less than six geographic areas in which the Veterans' Administration has experienced difficulties in recruiting and retaining such sufficient qualified personnel. In the course of such study, the Administrator shall take various administrative actions to overcome such difficulties. (b) Not later than the end of the forty-two-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs shall submit to the Congress a report on the results of such program and study, including an evaluation of the cost factors associated with each alternative administrative action on an annual basis and the impact on the recruitment and retention of nursing personnel at each facility involved, together with any recommendations for administrative or legislative action, or both, that the Administrator considers appropriate based on the results of such program and study and other pertinent information.

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