Assistance to Support Nurses

This announcement regarding the American Recovery and Relief Act (ARRA) signed Feb. 17, 2009, that $13.4 million was released today by HHS Deputy Secretary Bill Corr, for loan repayments to nurses who agree to work for 2 years in facilities with "critical shortages"; and to provide loans to students who will become nursing school faculty. It was stated that the support is intended to provide nursing care in the next decade for aging "baby boomers" and bridge the gap in staffing requirements at hospitals, LTC facilities and nursing homes.

One hundred registered nurses will benefit from the loan repayments under the Nurse Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP), which received $8.1 million, which will be awarded "competitively", for repayment of 60% of their loan balances for their education, in exchange for two years of service at facilities with critical nursing staff shortages.

You can find out what facilities are included on the list of places employing the first 100 award winners, by going to: http://newsroom.hrsa,gov/releases/2009/nelrprecips.htm

Five hundred masters and doctoral students who plan to become nursing school faculty, will have $5.3 million paid for up to 85% of the loans for their education, upon their graduation. Then their loan principal and interest will be cancelled under the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP), in exchange for four years of service as full time nursing school faculty. The list of universities receiving NFLP funds can be found at http://newsroom.hrsa.gov/releases/2009/nflp.arra.htm It is hoped that the "tide" will be "stemmed" of 50,000 prospective nursing students who were turned away from schools of nursing, due to faculty shortages and "insufficient clinical training sites".

Well, the goal of improving the provision of nursing care for the elderly; and staffing acute care and LTC facilities will be met partly by the above inflow of money. It remains to be seen, how many more nurses will be with us, and if the acuity of care standards will be met. Certainly it supports having more advanced degree nurses, acknowledging the need for them. No money is available for employers who import nurses from other countries.

For more information about ARRA programs for HC professionals, see http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/recovery/

Somehow no matter how much money is thrown at needs, it's never enough! However, the participation of government in providing education for nurses, has to form better relationships between government and the professional nursing community. It is so important for us to lose the "us" and "them" concepts that now prevail.