Underwood, Bonamici, Horsford Introduce Legislation to Expand Access to Clinical Opportunities for Graduate Nursing Students

WASHINGTON, May 26 -- Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Illinois, issued the following news release:

Representatives Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), and Steven Horsford (NV-04) introduced the Educating Future Nurses Act to expand clinical education and training opportunities for future Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). The legislation creates a permanent federal funding stream for hospitals to partner with schools of nursing, community-based care settings, and other hospitals to address clinical training costs for graduate nursing students.

The cost of clinical training has limited the number of APRN students that hospitals can accept; funding from this bill would help these hospitals accept APRN students, enabling them to train and work in geographically diverse areas, especially rural and underserved communities.

"There is currently no federal funding stream that invests in graduate nursing education, and the Educating Future Nurses Act establishes one within Medicare," said Underwood. "As a registered nurse and vice chair of the Congressional Nursing Caucus, I'm proud to introduce this legislation with Representatives Bonamici and Horsford. By permanently establishing a national graduate nurse education program that strengthens partnerships between hospitals and nursing schools, future Advanced Practice Registered Nurses will be able to receive additional training and practice options while they provide high-quality care to patients, especially in rural and underserved communities. This is a critical part of a comprehensive strategy to support the nursing workforce, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to pass this legislation."

"Our country needs more advanced practice registered nurses to better meet the growing health care needs of the population," said Bonamici. "Currently, there are too many barriers for nurses to access the advanced education and training they need to fill these critical roles. The Educating Future Nurses Act would create partnerships between hospitals and nursing schools to offer more opportunities for nurses to advance in their careers and help meet the needs in our health care workforce."

"The pandemic exacerbated an already urgent need to address our nation's nursing shortage," said Horsford. "That's why I'm joining with my colleagues, Representatives Underwood and Bonamici, along with Senators Stabenow, Casey, and Hassan, to introduce the Educating Future Nurses Act. This legislation builds on successful, evidence-based initiatives and would ensure prospective nurses have the training opportunities they need through partnerships with schools, hospitals, and other care settings. We must invest in our healthcare professionals to ensure that Nevadans and individuals across the country can continue to receive the care they need."

The legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH).

The Educating Future Nurses Act builds on a similar program created under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA's Graduate Nurse Education Demonstration Program provided federal funding to hospitals to pay for the clinical training costs of APRNs. Underwood's legislation expands and makes permanent this program, creating a federal funding stream for educating APRN students.

* * *

Original text here: https://underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases/underwood-bonamici-horsford-introduce-legislation-expand-access-clinical