President Proposes Increased Funding for Nurse Loan Repayment & Scholarship Programs

WASHINGTON, DC, May 7, 2009 - Today, President Obama released his FY 2010 Department of Health and Human Services Budget that provided specific details on the funding levels he has proposed for nursing education and research programs. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is thrilled that the Administration provided $263 million for the Nursing Workforce Development Programs (Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act) and $144 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR).

The proposed funding for Title VIII programs represents a 54% increase over the FY 2009 level of $171.03 million. The greatest increase was awarded to the Nurse Loan Repayment and Scholarship Programs, which received $125 million, a 238% increase over last year’s funding level. The Nurse Faculty Loan Program received $16 million, a 39% increase over the FY 2009 level of $11.5 million.

“President Obama is a true champion for nursing. This proposed funding allocation marks a historical point for nursing education, recruitment, and retention,” said AACN President Fay Raines. “If the President’s request passes Congress, it would be the highest allocation these programs have received since created in 1964. AACN will work diligently with our top nursing advocates in the House and Senate to see this funding level enacted.”

The President’s request would offer significant relief to help alleviate the 11-year national nursing shortage that is projected to grow in the coming years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nursing is the nation’s top profession in terms of projected job growth with more than 587,000 new nursing positions being created through 2016. The demand for nurses will continue to grow as the baby boomer population ages, experienced nurses retire, and the need for primary and specialty health care intensifies. BLS projects that more than one million new and replacement nurses will be needed by 2016.

To read more: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/NewsR...etRequest.html