As the U.S. faces growing healthcare workforce shortages, state leaders and major health institutions are urging federal regulators to reconsider a proposed student loan rule they say could constrain the pipeline of nurses and other health professionals.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown is leading a coalition of states opposing the proposal, which would limit federal loan access for many graduate programs by excluding fields like nursing from the definition of a “professional degree.” Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medicine have also submitted formal comments warning that the change could make it harder for nurses to pursue the advanced education required to expand access to care.
Natalia Barolin, RN, Senior Health Policy Advisor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, is available to provide expert analysis on the workforce and patient-care implications of the proposal.
She can speak to:
• Why advanced practice nurses are critical to expanding access to primary and community-based care
• How federal loan policy shapes the pipeline of nurses, educators, and health system leaders
• Why state leaders and health institutions are raising concerns about the rule’s potential impact on the healthcare workforce
