With the aging population of clinicians and patients, nursing is in desperate need of a stronger workforce. To advance nurses at all levels of practice, on February 9, 2021, the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce announced its plan to increase funding for the Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program by $200 million through its section of the American Rescue Plan.
The program reimburses 60% of loan debt for qualifying nursing professionals: licensed RNs, APRNs, and nurse faculty members who graduated from an accredited school of nursing in the United States. To receive reimbursement, nurses must work for two years at either:
- A critical shortage facility
- An eligible nursing school, as nurse faculty
After the first two years, applicants can reapply for a third year of service in exchange for reimbursement for an additional 25% of their student loans.
The application deadline was extended to May 27, 2021. However, the process takes about three weeks to complete. Interested nurses should review the requirements and get started today.
For the past few years, the federal government has announced millions in funding to support nurses—and your voice helped make that happen. Become an ONS health policy advocate and start promoting increased awareness of and aid in mitigating the barriers that you, your colleagues, and your patients navigate every day.