Ordinance on the Promotion of Nursing Education - Needs Planning (FöPA)

1. The Department of Health and Social Affairs annually assesses the cantonal need for places for the practical training of individuals pursuing the Nursing program at the Higher Professional School (HF) or the Bachelor's degree program in Nursing at a University of Applied Sciences (FH).

1. Institutions of care holding a cantonal operating license are obliged to ensure the practical training of nursing staff according to cantonal needs planning. For this purpose, they may form training associations.

2. Institutions of care include

a) Hospitals and clinics;

b) Nursing and care homes;

c) Facilities for outpatient health and nursing care.

3. The Department of Health and Social Affairs may enter into performance agreements concerning training positions.

1. The Department of Health and Social Services annually assesses the training capacities of individual institutions.

2. The calculation of the training capacities is governed by Appendix 1.

1. Institutions with a training obligation shall submit a training concept to the Department of Health and Social Affairs.

2. The training concept provides information on the framework, objectives, and focuses of the practical training as well as the number of available training positions. It must be updated in the event of significant changes.

3. If the number of training positions deviates from the training capacity calculated according to Art. 3, the measures to achieve full training capacity must be outlined in the training concept.

1. The canton contributes to the uncovered costs of registered training positions with CHF 300.- per internship week.

2. The payment is made annually upon proof of the internship weeks that have been completed in the previous year by nursing trainees.

3. Applications for payment must be submitted with the necessary documentation to the Department of Health and Social Affairs by March 31 at the latest. Late applications will not be considered.

4. Insofar as a training position has already been supported by benefits under Article 19, paragraph 3 of the Ordinance on Nursing Care Financing, no contributions will be granted.

1. The Department of Health and Social Affairs may, upon request, provide contributions for special measures. The following are considered special measures

a) Measures to increase training capacities;

b) Measures to secure and increase the demand for training places;

c) Measures to improve the quality of practical training.

2. The contributions are subject to the approval of the budget.

1. The canton participates in intercantonal measures to promote an appropriate increase in the number of nursing diplomas at Higher Vocational Schools (HF).

2. The Department of Health and Social Affairs is responsible for coordinating the promotion with the participating cantons and schools.

3. Agreements on promotional measures are to be submitted to the Government Council for approval.

1. Persons with civil legal residence in the canton are entitled to educational grants if they have completed their 21st year of age and are enrolled in a full-time course of study in one of the following educational programs

a) a two- or three-year nursing program at a Higher Vocational School (HF) leading to the qualification of Diplomierte Pflegefachfrau HF / Diplomierter Pflegefachmann HF;

b) a three-year Bachelor’s degree program in Nursing at a University of Applied Sciences (FH) leading to the qualification of Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

1. Cross-border workers are entitled to educational grants if they have reached the age of 21 and

a) they are enrolled in a full-time two or three-year nursing program at a Higher Vocational College (HVC), leading to qualification as a certified nurse HVC;

b) they have been working in the healthcare sector in Switzerland for at least two years and are undertaking their training at an institution in the canton.

1. Eligible individuals are supported with a training contribution of CHF 1,000 per month.

2. The contribution increases by CHF 500 per month if the eligible individual is obligated to provide maintenance for at least one child.

1. The application for contributions must be submitted to the Office of Health with the required documents. The office shall decide on the granting of educational contributions by decree.

2. The entitlement to educational contributions arises at the earliest with the month following the submission of the complete application for contributions. No contributions will be granted for previous months.

3. The contributions will be paid semi-annually to the eligible recipients upon proof of enrollment.

4. If one of the entitlement conditions ceases to exist, the entitlement ends at the end of the current month.

1. Anyone claiming educational grants must immediately and without prompting report any changes to the Health Office that may affect their entitlement.

1. Educational contributions under this ordinance must be accounted for as income in the context of any potential application under the Scholarships Act.

1. Contributions obtained due to false or incomplete information or in violation of duty to cooperate shall be refunded.

2. The Department of Health and Social Affairs shall order the refund.

1. Contributions pursuant to Article 5 shall be allocated for internship weeks starting from July 1, 2024.

1. The application of this regulation is temporally limited to the duration of the validity of the Federal Act on the Promotion of Education in the Field of Nursing.