As you may know, on Jan. 29, the Department of Education released a proposed rule defining “professional students” for the purposes of federal student loan limits. Although APRNs meet the criteria for professional degree programs, they were not included in the definition contained in the proposed rule. This will limit student access to federal loans and have potentially serious and negative impacts on the future of our health care workforce.
In response, OAAPN has joined over 250 other organizations in signing on to AANP’s Friends of the Nursing Community Coalition letter. This letter will be submitted to the Department of Education as an official comment to the proposed rule that excluded post-baccalaureate nursing from the definition of “professional degree.”
OAAPN is committed to promoting Advanced Practice Nursing through practice, education, advocacy, and leadership, including lending support to ensure that APRN students retain access to federal student loans at the professional degree designated level.