RESEARCH TRAINING:  ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND NURSING SCIENCES

NIH GUIDE, Volume 23, Number 15, April 15, 1994



PA NUMBER:  PA-94-058



P.T. 34



Keywords:

  Environmental Health 

  Nursing 



National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

National Institute of Nursing Research



Application Receipt Dates:  May 10 (T32); and August 5, December 5,

and April 5 (F31, F32)



PURPOSE



The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and

the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) announce their

interest in receiving individual and institutional National Research

Service Award (NRSA) applications for support of training at the pre-

and postdoctoral level of nurses interested in pursuing research

careers combining environmental health and nursing sciences.  The

purpose is to provide a cadre of nurse investigators who are prepared

to apply the principles of clinical nursing research to environmental

health research problems.



This program announcement (PA) on Research Training in Environmental

Health and Nursing Sciences is an abbreviation of larger, NIH-wide

program announcements on Individual and Institutional NRSA programs.

Copies of the relevant program announcement may be requested from the

NIH Office of Grants Information at (301) 710-0267.



HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000



The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health

promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000,"

a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas.  This PA,

Research Training in Environmental Health and Nursing Sciences, is

related to the priority area of environmental health.  Potential

applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report:

Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or "Healthy People 2000" (Summary Report:

Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents,

Government Printing Office, Washington DC 20402-9325 (telephone

202-783-3238).



ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS



Applications for T32 support may be submitted only by domestic, non-

profit, private and public institutions.  The applicant institution

must have the staff and facilities required for the proposed program.

The training program director at the institution will be responsible

for the selection and appointment of trainees to receive NRSA support

and for the overall direction of the program.  Applications from

minority individuals and women are encouraged.



In order to facilitate the growth of scientists in this developing

area, the NIEHS has determined that this research training could be

facilitated as a part of an ongoing research training program.

Therefore, competitive supplements to existing NIEHS training

programs are strongly encouraged.  The availability of these

supplements does not apply to NINR supported training programs.



Applications for F32 support may be submitted only by citizens or

noncitizen nationals of the United States or by individuals who have

been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence.

Additionally, applicants for postdoctoral study must have received a

doctorate prior to the beginning date of the proposed fellowship.

Thus, at the time of activation of the NRSA award, an individual must

have received a Ph.D., Sc.D., D.N.S, or other equivalent doctoral

degree.



Applicants for F31 support must be registered nurses with an active

license and either a baccalaureate or master's degree in nursing.

Applicants must be United States citizens or have been lawfully

admitted to the United States for permanent residence and have in

their possession a permanent visa at the time of application.  Prior

to formal submission of the NRSA application, an applicant must have

been admitted to a doctoral program of study and accepted by a

faculty sponsor who will supervise the applicant's training and

research experience.



MECHANISM OF SUPPORT



The mechanisms of support are the Individual and Institutional

National Research Service Awards (F31, F32, T32).  Applications for

the F31 will be considered only by the NINR.  Individuals may receive

up to three years of aggregate NRSA support at the postdoctoral

level, and up to five years of support at the predoctoral level.

Institutional applicants (T32) may request up to five years of

support.  As indicated above, competitive supplements to existing

NIEHS T32s are strongly encouraged.  These supplements are not

available to NINR supported training programs.  The stipend level for

the first year of postdoctoral NRSA support is determined by the

number of years of relevant postdoctoral experience at the time the

trainee is appointed.  The stipend levels for predoctoral and

postdoctoral trainees is established in an NIH-wide announcement.

See NIH Guide Vol 23, No. 10, March 11, 1994.



Supplementation to stipends, when provided, must not require

obligation from the fellow.  Under no circumstances may Federal grant

funds be used for supplementation unless specifically authorized

under the terms of the program from which the funds are derived.



RESEARCH OBJECTIVES



The traditional focus of research supported by the NIEHS has been to

identify those factors in the environment that have adverse health

effects on humans, the nature of those effects, and the mechanisms

responsible for them.  Over the past few years, the translation of

the information derived from this research into clinical research and

practice and public health has emerged as a high priority of the

NIEHS.  In order to accomplish this, there must be a cadre of

appropriately trained health care providers and public health

practitioners.



In 1990, the NIEHS initiated a program in Environmental and

Occupational Medicine (EOM), which is targeted to the training of

medical students in EOM.  The initiative is expected to have a

long-term impact on the extent to which environmental factors are

recognized as determinants in disease and dysfunction.  It is clear

that nurse scientists could actively contribute to expanding our

understanding of these linkages, and thus are important targets for

translation activities.  Numbering approximately two million

nationwide, registered nurses represent the largest group of health

care providers, and are often the initial, perhaps only, point of

contact for individuals seeking health care for illnesses that may

result from environmental exposures.  Thus, they may play a strategic

role in both the identification of environmentally-related illnesses

and the implementation of prevention/intervention strategies.



As research institutes, the primary focus of training activities of

both the NIEHS and the NINR relates to addressing the need to develop

qualified nurse scientists and to seed a new scientific specialty.

Given the current visibility and high level of interest in

environmental health and its relationship to the health of the

public, an opportunity exists to begin building the linkages between

environmental health and nursing science.



This program is focused on developing a cadre of nurse scientists who

are trained in environmental health research.  The specific research

training mix and expertise to be provided is the responsibility of

the institution; however, it is likely that some of the

characteristics of such programs would include the following:



a.  Applicants for T32s should be either:  (1) Schools of Nursing

with formal links to Environmental Health Science Programs such as

those at Schools of Public Health or other graduate schools or, (2)

Environmental Health Sciences Programs with formal linkages to

Schools of Nursing.



b.  Applicants for T32s should have existing doctoral programs both

in nursing and in environmental health sciences.



c.  Goal of the research training program should be to prepare nurses

for a research career in environmental health and nursing sciences.



d.  Applicants for F32s must present a program of research training

that includes both environmental health and nursing science.



e.  Applicants for F31s must be enrolled in doctoral programs in

either nursing or environmental health sciences which have the

appropriate linkages.



APPLICATION PROCEDURES



Applications for institutional training grants (T32) will be accepted

in accordance with the usual receipt date of May 10; and for

individual fellowships (F31, F32) on April 5, August 5, and December

5.  The earliest possible award date for an Institutional Training

Grant or supplement will be July 1 of the following year.  For

fellowships, the award date will be approximately six months after

the respective receipt dates.  F31 and F32 applications received too

late for one cycle of review will be held until the next receipt

date.



Applications will be received by the NIH Division of Research Grants

(DRG) and referred, according to standard PHS procedures, to an

initial review group for scientific and technical merit review.

Institute assignment decisions will be governed by normal

programmatic considerations as specified in the NIH Referral

Guidelines.



In general, the NIEHS has the responsibility for the support of

research and research training related to the effects of the

environment on human health.  The NINR is responsible for support of

research and research training related to promoting health,

preventing disease, ameliorating the effects of illness and

disability, strengthening the environments in which health care is

provided, and improving systems of health care delivery.



Applications for T32 awards are to be submitted on form PHS 398 (rev.

9/91) and applications for F31, F32 awards are to be submitted on

form PHS 416-1 (rev. 10/91).  These forms are available in the office

of sponsored research at most academic and research institutions and

from the Office of Grants Information, Division of Research Grants,

National Institutes of Health, Westwood Building, Room 449, Bethesda,

MD 20892, telephone (301) 710-0267 (one copy) or (301) 594-7378

(multiple copies).



To identify the application as a response to this program

announcement, check "YES" in Item 2a on the face page of the

application and enter the program announcement title, "Research

Training in Environmental Health and Nursing Sciences", and program

announcement identification number.



The original and five copies of the PHS 398 application form or two

copies of the PHS 416-1 must be sent or delivered to:



Applications Receipt Office

Division of Research Grants

National Institutes of Health

Westwood Building, Room 240

Bethesda, MD  20892**



REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS



The review criteria customarily employed by the NIH will prevail.

Following the initial scientific review, the applications will be

evaluated either by the National Advisory Council for the assigned

institute for T32 applications or an institute committee for F31 and

F32 applications.



AWARD CRITERIA



Applications will compete for available funds with all other approved

NRSA applications assigned to that Institute.  The following will be

considered in making funding decisions:



o  Quality of the proposed project as determined by peer review.

o  Availability of funds.

o  Program balance among training areas.



INQUIRIES



Written and telephone inquiries concerning this PA are encouraged.

The opportunity to clarify any issue or questions from potential

applicants is welcome.  Direct inquiries regarding programmatic

issues to:



Dr. Michael Galvin, Jr.

Division of Extramural Research and Training

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

P.O. Box 12233, MD 3-02

Research Triangle Park, NC  27709

Telephone:  (919) 541-7825

FAX:  (919) 541-2843



Dr. Judith Laughlin

Nursing Systems Branch

National Institute of Nursing Research

Westwood Building, Room 738

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 594-7493

FAX:  (301) 594-7603



Grants management inquiries may be directed to:



Ms. Jacqueline M. Russell

Division of Extramural Research and Training

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

P.O. Box 12233, Building 2

Research Triangle Park, NC  27709

Telephone:  (919) 541-7628

FAX:  (919) 541-2860



Ms. Sally A. Nichols

Grants Management Office

National Institute of Nursing Research

Westwood Building, Room 748

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 594-7498

FAX:  (301) 594-7603



AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS



This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance Number 93.894, Resource and Manpower Development in the

Environmental Health Sciences; 93.361, Nursing Research.  Awards are

made under the authority of Section 487, Public Health Service Act as

amended (42 USC 288) and administered under PHS Grant Policies and

Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 66; and the Public

Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410, as amended

by Public Health Law 99-158, 42 USC 241 and 285) and administered

under PHS grants policies and Federal regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and

45 CFR Part 74.  This program is not subject to the intergovernmental

review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency

review.



.

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