$100 Million for Frontline Nurses

“Nurses are the frontline in delivering life-saving care and in keeping all of us healthy and well. Today’s investments from the Health Resources and Services Administration demonstrate our ongoing commitment to supporting the nursing workforce, training and growing the next generation of nurses, creating career ladders for nurses, and recognizing the critical role nurses play in primary care, mental healthcare, and maternal healthcare.”

–HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced awards of $100 million to grow the nursing workforce. The grants are intended to address demand for registered nurses, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives and nurse faculty.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra’s press release announced the awards:

“Nurses are an essential part of our nation’s health care system. Now more than ever, we need to double down on our investments in nurses who care for communities across the country.”

Details

“We’re taking on powerful interests to bring your health care costs down,” he has said. “I’m just tired of seeing Americans ripped off,” President Biden said last month. 

His administration has reduced the cost of hearing aids, reduced the cost of health insurance for people who buy it though an Obamacare exchange and reduced an array of expenses for Medicare recipients. The Inflation Reduction Act includes measures to lower drug costs for Medicare recipients. Virtually every American age 65 and older is on Medicare, and many will save hundreds of dollars a year in out-of-pocket expenses.

The announcement outlined the following awards:

The Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention-Pathway to Registered Nurse Program will get $8.7 million to help Licensed Practical Nurses become Registered Nurses. RNs are needed in every nursing homes.

$26.5 million for nurse training through the Nurse Faculty Loan Program for schools to provide low-interest loans and loan cancellation to incentivize careers as nursing school faculty.

$64.8 million for the Advanced Nursing Education Workforce Program and the Advanced Nursing Education-Nurse Practitioner Residency and Fellowship Program to increase the number of nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and certified nurse midwives prepared to provide primary care services.