Time to make a comment!
By: Sarah K. Wells MSN RN CEN CNL
The U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) proposed changes to federal graduate student loan funding have raised alarms across higher education - and not just within nursing. While much of the conversation has focused on graduate nursing programs - such as those for nurse practitioners - the reality is that these funding limitations would affect a wide range of graduate disciplines, including social work, public health, education, counseling, and other non-healthcare professional fields.
For nursing, the implications are immediate. Advanced practice nurses are essential to addressing provider shortages, expanding primary care access, and strengthening healthcare systems. Reduced federal loan availability could discourage experienced and historically underrepresented nurses from pursuing graduate education, shrinking the future workforce of clinicians, educators, and leaders.
But the broader concern is structural: when financial barriers to graduate education increase, entire professions feel the impact. Communities rely on highly trained professionals across sectors - from healthcare to education to public service - and limiting access to advanced degrees risks worsening workforce shortages nationwide.
Submitting a public comment is one of the most meaningful advocacy actions professionals - anyone, not just nurses - can take right now:
Policymakers need to understand that graduate education funding is not a niche issue; it is a workforce issue, an access issue, and ultimately a societal investment. When pathways to education narrow, the ripple effects extend far beyond a single profession. #strongertogether
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About the Author: Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an experienced nurse career strategist dedicated to helping nurses and nurse practitioners of all experience levels and specialties achieve success in their nursing and NP journeys. Sarah founded New Thing Nurse to help provide support and guidance to the nursing community in a simple and direct format. Sarah’s vision is to foster a more supportive and fulfilled nursing world that spreads throughout healthcare and beyond.