Primary care is the focus for national plan to expand nursing workforce

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Primary care is at the heart of a national plan to spend more than $100 million to expand the nursing workforce.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HHS-HRSA) this week announced training awards to address greater demand for registered nurses, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and training faculty.

“Nurses are the frontline in delivering life-saving care and in keeping all of us healthy and well,” HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson said in a news release. “Today’s investments from the Health Resources and Services Administration demonstrate our ongoing commitment to supporting the nursing workforce, training and growing the next generation of nurses, creating career ladders for nurses, and recognizing the critical role nurses play in primary care, mental health care, and maternal health care.”

About 64% of the funding will be used to increase advanced practice nurses in primary care.

There are 56 various universities that will split more than $34.47 million for the Advanced Nursing Education Workforce program that trains nurses for primary care, along with treatments for mental health, substance use disorders, and maternal health.

Another 45 health systems will divide $30 million for the Advanced Nurse Practitioner Residency and Fellowship Program to increase numbers of advanced practice nurses in primary care.

HHS announced $26.5 million for the Nurse Faculty Loan Program for 88 schools to offer low-interest loans and loan forgiveness to spark interest in careers as nursing school faculty. The Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention-Pathway to Registered Nurse Program will receive $8.79 million for nine award recipients to train licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses to become registered nurses.