Washington – The union of nurses and other health organizations is angry because of the proposal of the Trump administration that could limit access to government loans for some students who follow their studies as “Professional”.
Outside of the US Department of Education, students pursuing graduate degrees in nursing and seven other fields, including social work and education, would face Federal Student Loan restrictions.
The Revamp is part of Trump’s “Good Deal” passed by Congress, and it’s fueling anger and confusion, especially among online discharge nurses. Some social media posts have raised misinformation about the changes – leading the Department of Education to issue a “fiction vs. reality” statement on the proposed changes.
But it did little to quell the furor. Nurses and other stakeholders not only oppose restrictions on academic loans to advance their careers, but see the move as a semantic insult that disrespects their professional credentials.
One Instagram user — a registered nurse who is a registered writer with more than 250,000 followers on the platform — said she had planned to go to graduate school to become a nurse, but the proposed loan caps could put that in jeopardy. “They don’t want us to continue our education,” she said. “They want women to be barefoot and pregnant.”
Susan Pratt, a nurse who is also the president of the union that represents nurses in Toledo, Ohio, called Mshuku a “face.”
“During the pandemic, nurses see each other, and this is the gratitude we get,” she said.
The Department of Education did not respond to a request for comment on the proposed rule changes. But Chasker said that “progressive voices” were afraid to scoff at “reforms and spread” lies. ”
The Trump Administration has said restrictions on student loans are needed to lower tuition costs and believes student loan defaults will pressure higher education to look for lower rates.
What counts as a ‘technical’ program
While graduate students previously received loans at their expense, the new rules will set gaps according to whether the degree is considered a graduate or professional program. For programs without the “technical” designation, students will be limited to borrowing $20,500 per year and up to $100,000.
Students in the expert-planned program would be able to borrow $50,000 per year and up to $200,000 in total.
To define what is considered as a technical system, the Department turned to 1965 to control financial resources and help. The law includes several examples of professional degrees but says it is not an exhaustive list. The Trump Administration’s proposal, by contrast, means only the degrees spelled out in the new law can count as professional programs.
The department of education would define the following fields as professional programs: Pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, law, medicine, posiatry and religion.
Left by NurnHing, dentistry, dental hygiene, occupational therapy and social work – as well as fields outside of health such as construction, education, and accounting.
One of the nation’s registered nurses will hold a master’s degree as of 2022, according to the American Assn. of nursing colleges.
The Federal Fine Sheet noted that “Professional degree” is merely an internal definition It uses to “differentiate between programs that qualify for higher loan limits.” “It’s not a value judgment about the value of the programs … It’s not relevant when the program is natural technology or not.”
Federal rules will go into effect in July, but are still being changed by the Department of Education after a public comment period.
Nursing Leaders Embrace Change
Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, President of the American Nurses Assn., opposed the proposed changes, saying that they will increase the painful shortage of advanced nurses – Whose roles require advanced degrees. Among them are nurses, who know how to diagnose diseases and write orders.
“Nurse nurses provide the largest number of primary care services in the United States,” she said. “We have a fundamental lack of care now. And we will continue to do so [to have one]. Now we will not fully allow Nurse professionals to get the money they need. “
Kennedy said the new laws will increase California’s shortage and the shortage of Californians because in many cases a doctorate is required to train other nurses.
“We are short of more than 2,000 nurses in the United States,” she said. “So this has a lower downwind effect.”
But the “myth vs. vs. vs. fact” sheet, released Monday, revealed that its data shows that 95% of nursing students have borrowed less than the annual loan limit and are therefore not affected by the new cap. ”
“In addition, placing a cap on loans will pressure remaining nursing programs to reduce their program costs, ensuring that nurses will not be burdened with unmanageable student loan debt,” the department said.
Kennedy said it will be more difficult for nursing programs to cut costs, because of their focus on training. “I’m not sure where the nursing schools say they’re going to cut, because the faculty is already paid, and those jobs are where the lifeguards are kept safe,” she said.
Lin Zhan, Dean of UCLA’s Joe C. Wen School, said the proposed changes are “about” and policymakers have rejected them.
“We cannot create barriers that limit entry and growth in this important profession and any policy changes must prioritize expanding access and empowering professional nurses to practice with knowledge and compassion,” said Zhan. “Graduate nurses play an important role in health care.
A coalition of health organizations urged the Ministry of Education to change course and noted that the vacant fields are being filled mostly by women. According to a 2019 US Census Bureau report, women make up nearly three-quarters of full-time, mobile healthcare workers in the US and account for the highest percentage in occupations such as dental and medical assistants.
Deborah Trautman, President of the American Assn. In nursing colleges, it said in a statement that “reducing the Federal Student loan limit for nurses pursuing Master’s Purferes and Degrees Facton
“However, nurses who are committed to these standards are essential to the workforce – as nursing practice, faculty, researchers and professionals have developed,” she said.
Correspondents Collin Binckley and John Bewewer contributed to this story.
