People Magazine: As part of the U.S. Department of Education’s new federal student loan-related changes under President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” nursing has been excluded from the group of programs that are considered “professional” degrees, and a loan program for graduate students has been marked for elimination.
Nurse.org: Leading nursing organizations also say the move could lower the application and graduation rates of RNs, as all graduate nursing programs first require graduation from an RN program. While some RNs may go into school with the intent of furthering their education, not all do, and many may choose to work at the bedside in the interim or to gain experience. Without the ability to feel like they have a future in nursing, some prospective students may opt to choose a different career altogether.
marykayandrews: This week’s moral outrage is triggered by the unrelenting misogyny of the Trump administration … Approximately 88 percent of registered nurses in the U.S. are female. See a trend? If you have a Dr appointment these days, chances are good you’ll spend more time with a nurse practitioner or a physician’s assistant. These degree programs are hugely expensive, and practically unattainable on a nurse’s salary without a loan.
TMZ: Here’s the deal … the One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes provisions for eliminating the Grad PLUS program, which helps graduate and professional students cover their expenses, and caps Parent PLUS loans, according to Nurse.org, an industry news and career resources website. Nurse practitioners — among several other professions, including physical therapists — are deemed not to have obtained professional degrees. University of Pennsylvania Dean of Nursing Antonia Villarruel told Newsweek the new status is a “serious blow to the health of our nation.”
