FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Charles Graves, Ed.D.
(334) 206-5425

The Alabama Department of Public Health Office of Primary Care and Rural Health wants qualified nurses to be aware that they may be eligible for the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program. This federally funded program assists in the recruitment and retention of professional registered nurses in facilities with a critical nursing shortage in exchange for full-time service.

"Nurses have until March 4, 2010, to complete their applications for this program which assists with repaying a portion of their educational loans and we urge qualified nurses who are willing to work through their commitment to apply," said the office’s Charles Graves.

Nurses who meet the following criteria are eligible:

• Hold a degree in nursing (associate, baccalaureate or graduate level)
• Have outstanding educational loans (nursing loans only)
• Are a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident of the United States
• Are employed full-time (32 hours or more per week) at a critical shortage facility
• Have a current permanent unrestricted license as a registered nurse in the state in which he/she intends to practice

Critical nursing shortage areas include nonprofit hospitals serving large numbers of low-income patients, federally designated health centers, rural health clinics, certain skilled care facilities, health departments and others.

Additional eligibility information, service requirements and the application are available at www.hrsa.gov/loanscholarships/repayment/nursing.

Questions about the application itself should be directed to the Health Resources and Services Administration Call Center at 1-800-221-9393. For more information about this and other types of loan repayment opportunities in Alabama, contact Charles Graves, Ed.D., National Health Service Corps Professional Placement Manager, Office of Primary Care and Rural Health at 1-800-255-1992 or visit www.adph.org/ruralhealth.

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2/10/10