CNOs and other nurse leaders should be aware of these two pieces of legislation.
So far, 2025 has been a year of chaos for healthcare.
The future of the industry seems uncertain, with large clinical staff strikes and a federal administration that pushes new executive orders on a daily basis.
Now more than ever, it's critical that CNOs and other nurse leaders get involved and advocate for nursing policy. Recently, two bills have come to the forefront: the PRECEPT Nurses Act, and the I CAN Act.
The PRECEPT Nurses Act
The Providing Real-World Education and Clinical Experience by Precepting Tomorrow’s (PRECEPT) Nurses Act is a bipartisan bill introduced by Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02), and it seeks to provide a $2,000 tax credit for nurses who serve as clinical preceptors to nursing students, according to a press release. The goal is to address the nursing shortage by increasing the amount of nursing students who can complete their clinical training under nurse preceptors.
“Mentors are the backbone of nurturing talent and shaping the workforce of tomorrow, and in nursing, preceptors fulfill this essential role,” said Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president of the American Nurses Association, in the press release. “The PRECEPT Nurses Act is an important step in recognizing the invaluable contributions of nurse preceptors and ensuring they have the support needed to address critical workforce shortages, particularly in underserved areas.
The I CAN Act
The Improving Care and Access to Nurses (I CAN) Act is another bipartisan bill that would remove the federal barriers in Medicare and Medicaid programs that stop APRNs from practicing to the full extent of their clinical education and training, according to another press release. Representatives Dave Joyce (OH-14), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Jen Kiggans (VA-02), and Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) introduced the bill with the goal of increasing patient access to healthcare while lowering costs and improving quality.
“The reintroduction of this bill is a critical step toward expanding health care access across the country," Mensik Kennedy said in the press release. "By removing outdated barriers, it empowers APRNs to provide the care they are trained for—especially in rural and underserved communities where they are often the primary providers."
Here is what CNOs need to know about these two bills.
G Hatfield is the CNO editor for HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The PRECEPT Nurses Act aims to instate a tax credit for nurses who successfully serve as nurse preceptors for nursing students.
The I CAN Act would remove federal barriers in Medicare and Medicaid programs that prevent APRNs from practicing to their fullest extent.