ANA: Nurses are professionals. Sign our petition and let your voice be heard.

From ANA: 

Nurses are the backbone of healthcare in the U.S., yet the Department of Education may use 1960s-era definitions of "professional" and "graduate" degrees to determine loan limits, leading to the further erosion of the nursing workforce. 

This move stems from an effort to rein in student loan debt and tuition costs as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act; however, it means that post-baccalaureate nursing students would only be eligible for half the amount of federal loans as graduate medical students.

Stand up for nurses’ education and workforce—sign our petition. 

"We, the undersigned, are writing to express our concern regarding the Department of Education's proposed definition of 'professional degree' programs, which excludes nursing.   

Nurses are the largest healthcare profession in the U.S. and Advance Practice Registered Nurses fill critical gaps in patient care. There are many points of entry into nursing. Access to robust education pathways, including the full range of federal student loans, is essential to growing and sustaining the workforce amidst staffing shortages.  

We call on the Department of Education to revise the proposed definition of 'professional degrees' to explicitly include nursing." 

Use this link to sign the petition: https://ana.quorum.us/campaign/professionaldegreepetition/