Passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 significantly boosts a variety of nursing programs.
Programs benefiting nurses will receive hundreds of millions of dollars with the recent passage by Congress of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022.
The legislation includes $280 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development programs—$16 million over fiscal year 2021 levels. It also provides $181 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), an increase of almost $6 million over the previous fiscal year.
In passing the bill, Congress also provided significant funding for many within the nursing profession:
- Sexual assault nurse examiners
- Studies and grants to improve models of maternal care for racial and ethnic minorities
- Investments in a rural maternal and obstetric care training program.
"The passage of H.R. 2471 signifies an important step as we elevate the need for enhanced federal investments to support our current and future nursing workforce," said a statement released by the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC).
"The NCC sincerely thanks Congressional Leadership, Senate and House Appropriations Committees, and our Congressional Nursing Caucuses for their dedication to the nursing profession," the statement read.
The NCC is comprised of 63 nurse organizations, including the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL), American Nurses Association (ANA), American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).
In prepared testimony in June 2021 for the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and other agencies, NCC explained how increased federal resources for current and future nurses are even more imperative.
"Title VIII programs are instrumental in bolstering and sustaining the nation’s diverse nursing pipeline by addressing all aspects of nursing workforce demand," according to that testimony.
Indeed, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that by 2029, demand for RNs would increase 7%, illustrating an employment change of 221,900 nurses. Furthermore, the demand for most Advance Practice RNs (APRNs) is expected to grow by 45%.
"This is just one example on why continued and elevated investments in Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs in FY 2022 is essential and will help nurses and nursing students have the resources to tackle our nation's healthcare needs, remain on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, assist with the distribution and administration of the vaccine, and be prepared for the public health challenges of the future," NCC's testimony read.
NCC also pushed hard for research and innovation funding.
"Rigorous inquiry and research are indispensable when responding to the everchanging healthcare landscape and healthcare emergencies, such as COVID-19," according to NCC.
"From precision genomics to palliative care and wellness research to patient self-management, NINR has been at the forefront of evidence driven research to improve care," NCC says. "It is imperative that we continue to support this necessary scientific research."
“The passage of H.R. 2471 signifies an important step as we elevate the need for enhanced federal investments to support our current and future nursing workforce.”
Nursing Community Coalition
Carol Davis is the Nursing Editor at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
New legislation provides $280 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development programs.
It also earmarks $181 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research.
The Nursing Community Coalition lobbied strongly for the funding.