JOURNAL ARTICLE

Federal Student Loan Policy Changes and the Year Ahead for Nursing Workforce Advocacy.

  • Published In: ONS Voice, 2026. P. N.PAG 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Becze, Elisa 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on the proposed Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) rule by the U.S. Department of Education, which reclassifies advanced nursing degrees—such as Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)—from "graduate" to "professional" degrees, thereby reducing federal student loan limits for nursing students. Nursing organizations, including the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), argue that these degrees meet all criteria for professional degrees and that the misclassification could restrict student loan access, worsen nursing workforce shortages, and limit patient care capacity, especially in oncology. Advocacy efforts have included extensive public comments and congressional outreach to urge the Department of Education to maintain current loan access for nursing students. The final rule is expected in spring 2026, with ongoing advocacy to protect nursing education and workforce sustainability.

Additional Information

  • Source:ONS Voice. 2026/04, pN.PAG
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Education
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:2475-6938
  • Accession Number:193258767
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of ONS Voice is the property of Oncology Nursing Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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