Summary
The Department of Education under President Trump decided that nursing would no longer count as a "professional degree" for student loan purposes. This change means that nurses won't have access to the same level of funding for advanced education as other medical professions. This decision may reduce the number of people entering the nursing field.
Key Facts
- The Department of Education changed the classification of nursing, removing it from the "professional degree" category.
- This impacts access to student loan funding for advanced nursing education.
- Over 260,000 students are currently in Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs, and about 42,000 in Associate Degree in Nursing programs.
- The Grad PLUS loan program for students is being eliminated.
- Other professional degrees like medicine and law still qualify for the higher loan limits.
- Nurses might face challenges affording graduate education because of the new loan caps.
- Experts warn the decision could lead to fewer nurses in the U.S., affecting healthcare services.
