House approves bipartisan Joyce bill to address nation’s nursing shortage

Legislation authored by U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) to address the nation’s nursing shortage cleared the House of Representatives with bipartisan support.

The Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, H.R. 2713, would authorize federal funding to support nursing workforce education, training and retention programs.

“Being married to a nurse has shown me, firsthand, just how important nurses are in our health care system,” Joyce, co-chair of the Congressional Nursing Caucus, said. “No matter what type of medical care it is, nurses are at the heart of it. They are the ones there day in and day out making sure patients get the one-on-one care that they need.”

The first nursing education bill was signed into law into in 1964, and today Title VIII continues to support nursing education ranging from entry-level to graduate level studies.

“The Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act invests in the nursing workforce and ensures all communities have access to the best health care possible,” Joyce said.

The number of registered nurses (RNs) is projected to grow 19 percent from 2012 to 2022, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there will be more than 1 million job openings for RNs in 2022 due to increased demand.

U.S. Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), co-chair of the Congressional Nursing Caucus and co-author of the bill, said, Title VIII nursing workforce programs have made important gains in recruiting, training and retaining nurses.