Department of Veterans Affairs Nurse Recruitment and Retention Enhancement Act of 2001 - Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs employee incentive scholarship program to: (1) repeal a provision requiring commencement of participation in the program prior to December 31, 2001; (2) reduce from two years to one the required period of continuous Department employment for program participation; (3) revise scholarship amounts; and (4) increase from three to six years the number of school years for which a scholarship may be paid while limiting the total payment to the cost of three years of full-time coursework. Repeals a provision terminating on December 31, 2001, the education debt reduction program. Increases the maximum debt reduction amount under such program and allows the annual adjustment of such amount. Allows the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, until December 31, 2001, to expand the number of individuals eligible under such program.
Authorizes additional pay for Saturday duty for health care professionals in the Department's Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Allows unused sick leave to be included in the annuity computation for VHA registered nurses.
Directs the Secretary to: (1) evaluate the efficacy of the Department's nurse managed health care clinics; (2) establish a nationwide policy on the staffing of Department medical facilities; (3) report on the use of authorities for retaining experienced nurses; and (4) report on mandatory overtime required of licensed nurses and nurse assistants providing direct patient care.