The Minnesota Nurse Practitioners (MNNP) board of directors expresses our profound concern regarding the recent developments from the Department of Education (DOE) through the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee. We align ourselves with the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC), advocating for the inclusion of nursing professional education to be included in the definition of ‘professional degree.’ Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are trained at the masters or doctoral level, achieve rigorous national certification and licensure prior to practice, and provide essential primary, acute, chronic, and specialty care, paralleling that of the professions identified as “professional degrees” by H.R. 1. MNNP stands with Nurse Practitioners and our APRN colleagues impacted by this ruling. 

The new federal student loan limits proposed in H.R. 1 necessitate a classification of advanced nursing degrees as “professional” degrees. Inability to access federal student loans with annual and lifetime caps poses a serious barrier to students seeking to enter our profession and a threat to those currently enrolled in programs. The phasing out of the Graduate PLUS loan program heightens the urgency of explicitly categorizing nursing as a professional degree. With over 69% of post-baccalaureate nursing students relying on federal student loans, it is imperative to ensure equitable access to educational funding.

The MNNP board of directors calls upon the Department of Education to amend its proposed definition to explicitly include post-baccalaureate nursing programs including MSN, DNP, and Phd programs in the classification of “professional degree programs.” This inclusion is essential to sustain the nursing workforce, align with the rigorous training standards required for our profession, and ensure that patients in Minnesota and across the nation have access to high-quality healthcare.

We urge all members to engage with your local and national legislators to advocate for nursing professional education. Together, we can advocate for policies that ultimately benefit our profession and those we serve.

Sincerely,

The Minnesota Nurse Practitioners Board of Directors: 

Angie Rickheim, DNP, FNP-C, APRN, President

Kim Heckmann, MSN, FNP-C, APRN, Education Liaison

Sara McCumber, DNP, FNP-C, AGPCNP-BC, ACNS-BC, GNP-BC, APRN, FAANP, Membership Liaison 

Rochelle Perry, DNP, FMHNP-BC, APRN, Legislative Liaison

Samantha Delander, DNP, FNP-C, APRN, Communications Liaison

Jenna Herman, DNP, FNP-BC, APRN, Secretary

Zane Dye, DNP, FNP-C, APRN, Treasurer