11/26/2025
The recent proposal by the U.S. Department of Education to omit nursing from its list of “professional” degrees undermines the value of our work and creates real risks for Iowa. Our state depends on a strong nursing pipeline, and this decision places additional strain on our ability to recruit and retain the frontline nurses, faculty and advanced-practice nurses Iowa communities rely on.
‼️ Iowa continues to experience significant nursing faculty shortages across associate, bachelor’s, and graduate programs—shortages that already limit program capacity. When advanced nursing education is devalued, fewer nurses pursue the graduate preparation needed for faculty and advanced practice roles. That directly restricts how many new nurses we can educate.
The impact is clear: fewer nurses at the bedside, fewer APRNs delivering primary and mental health care, and growing access challenges in both rural and urban communities.
To our Iowa nursing colleagues: we hear your concerns, and we share them. The Iowa Nurses Association stands with you. This moment calls for unity, clear communication, and strong advocacy—and we are prepared to lead alongside you.
INA is taking action:
📣 Stay informed: https://rnaction.org/sitepages/PSLC.aspx
✍️ Sign the petition: https://ana.quorum.us/campaign/professionaldegreepetition/
🤝 Share Your Story: https://ana.quorum.us/campaign/shareyourstoryeducation/
📋 INA’s Public Policy Committee is evaluating the full impact and preparing next steps for Iowa nurses.
Your voice matters. Iowa’s communities are counting on us.
— Iowa Nurses Association
