Washington, District of Columbia — Ten nursing organizations have sued the U.S. Department of Education over a new student loan rule they say could narrow the pipeline of advanced nursing talent just as nursing homes are fighting to staff up for sicker, more complex residents. The case targets the department’s final Reimagining and Improving Student Education, or RISE, rule, which is set to take effect July 1.
The lawsuit argues that the rule wrongly excludes post-baccalaureate nursing degree programs from the federal definition of “professional degree” programs. That matters because the exemption determines who can borrow above the government’s graduate student loan limits. Under the rule, graduate students would face a lifetime federal borrowing cap of $100,000 and an annual cap of $20,500.
The organizations behind the suit say those limits would create fresh financial barriers for nurses seeking advanced training at a moment when communities across the country are already dealing with workforce shortages and rising demand for care. For nursing homes, the concern is practical, not abstract: operators already face a thin labor market, higher resident acuity and constant competition with hospitals and other care settings for clinical talent.
That pressure has already pushed some providers to recruit better staff through certification programs and other retention efforts. The groups suing this week say the federal rule would move in the opposite direction by making graduate education harder to afford for future nurse leaders, specialists and advanced practice clinicians.
Why nursing homes care
Long-term care groups say the policy reaches beyond colleges and loan paperwork. The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living said the final rule fails to recognize the professional degrees earned by advanced practice nurses as well as physical and occupational therapists, all of whom are important to nursing homes and other long-term care settings. The American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing said post-baccalaureate graduates help strengthen the nursing home workforce, improve patient safety and support quality outcomes.
ANA President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy said the rule would not just limit educational access, but also patients’ access to timely care from highly trained practitioners. The lawsuit asks a court to block the damage before the July 1 rollout. It is also not the only legal challenge facing the policy: more than two dozen states and Washington, District of Columbia, sued the department earlier this spring over the same rule.
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