A recent decision by the U.S. Department of Education has created a major hurdle for the future of our health care workforce. Under a newly finalized rule, post-baccalaureate nursing degrees have been excluded from the federal definition of a “professional degree.” While students in recognized professional fields like pharmacy, law, dentistry, and medicine qualify for federal loan limits up to $50,000 annually ($200,000 lifetime), advanced nursing students have had their borrowing caps cut in half to just $20,500 per year and $100,000 lifetime. At a time when Nebraska is already managing a severe health care workforce shortage, erecting financial barriers for those seeking to become nurse practitioners, faculty, and clinical leaders is highly counterproductive.
A bipartisan coalition in Congress has introduced the Nursing is a Professional Degree Act (S. 4568 / H.R. 8691) to explicitly add advanced nursing degrees back to the "professional degree" definition, restoring fair loan caps.
We need your voice. Send a letter to your members of Congress urging them to support this corrective legislation.
