The Nursing profession has suffered for years, but ironically it is the word “profession” that is the cause of new challenges in the form of the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act. This act, passed in July 2025, restructured federal student lending for graduate education and reclassified nursing degrees as NOT a professional degree, but a graduate degree. Specifically, the loan limits are as follows:
- Graduate Programs, $20,500 Annual, $100,000 Lifetime
- Professional, $50,000 Annual, $200,000 Lifetime
Most graduate nursing programs are more than $100k and therefore because of the change, there is expected to be reduced access to advanced nursing education, worsen nurse practitioner and CRNA shortages, and disproportionate harm to rural and underserved communities. There have been labor shortages and hundreds of thousands of openings for the past several years including a projected 190,000 for 2026. These shortages impact primary care, senior care, schools, and other industries in low income and rural areas. Congress has tried to pass a few bills such as the Clarity in Professional Degree Act and the Protecting Health care Workforce Pipelines Act, but as of February 2026, none have become law.
Where are the rational people in Washington that can make this make sense. Perhaps provide grants (not loans) for prospective nursing students or any health care student in order to properly staff our critical care centers, hospitals and senior care facilities that will continue to see increased number of openings as baby boomers get older. Turn the grants into loans if students do not pass their programs with minimum grade standards. Congress can look toward federal loan forgiveness with a quicker time period towards forgiveness to encourage more healthcare focused students. There are some states already offering student loan forgiveness or repayment for working in critical healthcare positions in areas of need. But there needs to be more done for nurses at the state level.
The last thing I want is to have a cold robot taking care of me when I am in the hospital. Government needs to do their job to solve problems, not expand already existing problems into other areas of need.
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