With the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics currently projecting that there will be 194,500 average annual openings for registered nurses between now and 2031, U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) on Oct. 18 cosponsored bipartisan legislation that would authorize a $10 million annual grant program aimed at ending the nation’s nurse shortage.
“The bottom line is that any challenge facing our nation’s nurses hurts the health and wellbeing of the American people,” said Rep. Joyce, co-chair of the Congressional Nursing Caucus. “If we don’t come together to fight the ongoing nursing shortage, America’s patient population will pay the price.”
The congressman introduced the Stop Nurse Shortages Act, H.R. 9200, with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) to help nursing schools create, expand, or support an accelerated nursing degree program, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Joyce’s office.
Accelerated nursing programs allow individuals with previous undergraduate degrees in non-nursing fields to fast-track their way to becoming a qualified registered nurse, the summary says. If enacted, the bill would provide grants to schools offering these programs to help them hire and retain faculty and preceptors, increase the number of clinical training sites, and offer financial assistance to students, according to the summary.
“We must ensure that those who are interested in pursuing a career in nursing have access to the high-quality education and training opportunities necessary to do so,” Rep. Joyce said. “This bipartisan bill does just that.”
H.R. 9200, which is supported by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, has been referred to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration.
“Retirement, pandemic-related burnout, and other factors have caused many nurses to leave the workforce, exacerbating the nurse shortage in the United States,” said Rep. Stevens. “The Stop Nurse Shortages Act tackles this issue by providing resources to create and expand accelerated nursing programs, removing barriers for entry for those with undergraduate degrees in other disciplines who are interested in entering the nursing field.”