Our nation stands at a critical juncture. The healthcare workforce shortage has not relented, leaving our healthcare system stretched at a time when patients have a growing need for care.
While there is still work to be done to retain professionals currently in the workforce, the core of solving this shortage lies in bolstering pathways for students to enter and graduate from nursing and allied health programs, including entry-level certification programs. To ensure patients have better access to care in the future, we must first help more of today’s students understand the vast career opportunities available across healthcare.
With the election behind us and only a few working days left during the congressional lame-duck period, it is important for our lawmakers to prioritize legislation that supports healthcare education before time runs out.
The shortage of qualified healthcare professionals ready to meet the rising demand for care is not a looming threat; it’s a reality. There are over 193,000 projected job openings for registered nurses per year until 2032, and 85% of healthcare facilities are facing a shortage of allied health professionals. Yet, the number of new workers entering practice is far below what’s needed to fill these gaps.
The lack of qualified nurses and allied health professionals is one of the major factors contributing to provider burnout, staff attrition, practice closures, reduced services and longer wait times for patients across healthcare settings. Additionally, patients are growing older and sicker, and they have more complex needs. The U.S. needs a multifaceted approach that prioritizes attracting and educating the next generation of healthcare professionals. Doing so will create a robust workforce and ensure continued access to high-quality care.
As leaders in nursing and allied health education, we cannot overstate the potential that education technology has in supporting students for academic success, maximizing faculty effectiveness and efficiency to mitigate the impact of the shortage, and thereby, bolstering the capacity of schools to admit and graduate more practice-ready students.
So, how exactly can Congress help build programs’ capacity to prepare a workforce capable of meeting the demands of today’s healthcare environment?
First, Congress must invest in highly engaging technology tools that mimic real-life clinical scenarios to facilitate students learning from their mistakes, building effective problem-solving skills and contributing to the development of their clinical judgment skills—which are essential for safe practice. These tools provide personalized learning experiences ensuring every student reaches their full potential. By passing outcomes-based legislation that provides dedicated resources for nursing programs, career and technical education (CTE) programs, and direct workforce training programs, we can help students excel in their classes, graduate and pass their exams to enter all levels of the workforce practice-ready, including in entry-level certified, licensed and advanced practice healthcare worker roles.
Beyond students, Congress should also prioritize funding for programs that train, retain and better support healthcare educators. Investing in technology, such as AI tools that can streamline and lessen educators’ workload, is an excellent example of what can be achieved. With a faculty shortage contributing to the over 65,000 qualified applications turned away from nursing programs last year alone, and 71% of CTE program directors reporting that the shortage of health sciences teachers and high faculty turnover is causing a net reduction in the number of students, it is clear we must grow the capacity of schools so that every interested, passionate and qualified student can pursue the healthcare career of their dreams.
Despite the surging demand for providers, federal funding for nursing and allied health professional education has remained relatively stagnant. It’s encouraging to see bills such as the Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act (S.2840), which would invest in training for new nurses and community health workers; the Train More Nurses Act (S.2853/H.R.6122), which would expand nursing school enrollment capacity; the PRECEPT Nurses Act (S.1627), which seeks to increase the number of clinical preceptors essential for guiding nursing students through their practical training; the Nurse Faculty Shortage Reduction Act (S.2815/H.R.7002), which would provide incentives to recruit and retain nursing faculty; and the Grants for Resources in Occupational Workforce Training for Healthcare (GROWTH) Act (H.R.6078), which would expand and prioritize grant funding for community colleges.
We also note with great interest several bills that would bolster the allied health field, including the Healthcare Workforce Innovation Act (S.4957) to provide federal support for community-led partnerships educating and training more healthcare workers; the Allied Health Opportunity Act (S.2304), which would expand the scope of grants that support the allied health workforce; and the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act (H.R.6585)––all of which would broaden opportunities available for students to enter critical allied health roles.
We strongly urge Congress to pass these bipartisan bills during the lame-duck period. Lawmakers have a unique opportunity to shape and strengthen the future of our healthcare workforce for many years to come. Now is the time to act for the sake of our nation’s healthcare system.
Patty Knecht, Ph.D., RN, ANEF, is chief nursing officer of Ascend Learning and Kathy Hunter is category leader of National HealthCareer Association, an Ascend Learning brand.