Ch. 246

LAWS OF MARYLAND

(3)  "Nursing shortage area" means a recognized area
of nursing service or specialization, such as gerontological
nursing, in which the State Board of Higher Education,
considering any recommendations of the State Board of Nursing,
has determined that there exists a shortage of qualified nurses.

(4)  "Graduate nursing student" means a nursing
student who is enrolled in a postbaccalaureate nursing education
degree program at an institution.

(b)  (1) There is a program of scholarships for graduate
nursing students in nursing shortage areas administered by the
State Scholarship Board.

(2) The State Board of Higher Education shall
identify and establish nursing shortage areas considering any
recommendations of the State Board of Nursing. The State Board
of Higher Education shall review the established nursing shortage
areas annually and make any appropriate changes.

(c)  Each recipient of a scholarship awarded under this
section shall:

(1)  Be a resident of this State;

(2)  Be enrolled in a nursing shortage area of
graduate education at an institution, except that if space is not
available for a student at an institution in this State, the
State Scholarship Board may award a scholarship to a qualified
graduate nursing student enrolled in a nursing shortage area who
is a resident of this State and who is enrolled in an approved
institution outside this State;

(3)  Furnish a surety bond to this State, with
security satisfactory to this State, that upon completion of
graduate studies the recipient will for a period of time
determined by the State Scholarship Board:

(i) Teach at an institution in the particular
nursing shortage area in which the recipient was awarded a
scholarship under this section; or

(ii) Serve in the State, in the particular
nursing shortage area in which the recipient was awarded a
scholarship under this section, in a licensed hospital, nursing
home, adult day care center, public health agency, home health
agency, or such other organization as authorized by the State
Scholarship Board in order to carry out the intent of this
section.

(d)  (1) A recipient of a graduate nursing student
scholarship may not:

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