A. With such funds as are appropriated for this purpose, and consistent with the provisions of § 54.1-2506.1, the Board shall collect, store, and make available nursing workforce information regarding the various categories of nurses certified, licensed or registered under the provisions of this chapter. In addition to appropriated funds, the Board may also accept donations or grants from private sources in addition to any licensure or certification fee to any certified, licensed or registered nurse to carry out the provisions of this section. The information to be collected on nurses shall include, but not be limited to: (i) demographic data; (ii) level of education; (iii) employment status; (iv) employment setting such as in a hospital, physician’s office, or nursing home; (v) geographic location of employment; (vi) type of nursing position or area of specialty; and (vii) number of hours worked per week. Such information shall be collected and updated biennially, and shall be published, in aggregate form and in a format accessible to the public, on the Department of Health Professions website. However, the Board may release information that identifies specific individuals for the purpose of determining shortage designations and to qualified personnel if pertinent to an investigation, research, or study, provided a written agreement between such qualified personnel and the Department, which ensures that any person to whom such identities are divulged shall preserve the confidentiality of such identities, is executed.

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B. The Board shall promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this section. Such regulations shall include: (i) the specific number and types of nursing workforce data elements to be collected; (ii) the process by which the information is collected, stored, and made available to interested parties; (iii) provisions to ensure the confidentiality of the data to be collected and to protect the identity of all individuals submitting information; and (iv) other provisions as determined by the Board.

2000, cc. 587, 701; 2002, c. 333; 2008, c. 373; 2009, c. 382.