Kelly, Blackburn Introduce Bill to Address National Nursing Shortage
Today, Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Providing Real-World Education and Clinical Experience by Precepting Tomorrow’s (PRECEPT) Nurses Act, bipartisan legislation that would address the national nursing shortage by incentivizing experienced nurses to serve as clinical preceptors to nursing students and new hires. This legislation establishes a seven-year pilot program offering a $2,000 tax credit to nurses who precept nursing students, advanced practice nurse candidates, or new nurses within six months of hire in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).
“I’ve heard from hospitals across Arizona struggling to find enough nurses to care for their patients, and I also speak to nursing students who face barriers to gaining the clinical training they need to graduate,” said Kelly. “We’re working to help solve both issues by incentivizing experienced nurses to get nursing students and new nurses the experience they need. This will lead to more well-trained nurses going into hospitals where they are urgently needed.”
“Nurses are an essential part of our nation’s health care system,” said Blackburn. “Amid staffing shortages and burnout among nurses, it is important that we incentivize more of them to help train the next generation. The PRECEPT Nurses Act will strengthen the nursing workforce pipeline and improve patients’ access to care.”
“We appreciate how Senator Kelly continues to champion Arizona hospitals with this legislation,” said Ann-Marie Alameddin, president and CEO of the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association (AzHHA). “Preceptors play a crucial role in helping new nurses transition from an academic setting to day-to-day patient care. This support is vital for nurse retention, especially following the loss of experienced preceptors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Investing in their development is essential to the healthcare ecosystem.”
“Addressing America’s nursing shortage requires a multi-faceted approach, and the bipartisan collaboration behind this legislation, led by Senators Kelly and Blackburn, is a crucial step forward,” said Dr. Judith Karshmer, dean of Arizona State University’s Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation. “Securing clinical preceptors is necessary for training nurse practitioners and equipping new nurses to enter the workforce. This tax credit will directly incentivize health care providers to take on students, significantly expanding the pipeline of well-trained, qualified nurses.”
“As Congress considers ways to support nursing education, addressing the need for more preceptors, one of the primary barriers to accepting all qualified students at nursing schools, remains a top priority,” said Dr. Jean Giddens, Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. “The PRECEPT Nurses Act offers an innovative approach to ensuring that today’s nursing students have the resources needed to serve as trusted healthcare providers in communities across the country.”
“Supporting nursing schools, faculty, and students benefits the economy, promotes academic-practice partnerships, and strengthens the healthcare system as a whole,” said Dr. Deborah Trautman, President and CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. “We applaud this vital effort and strongly encourage consideration and passage of the PRECEPT Nurses Act this Congress.”
Additionally, the Providing Real-World Education and Clinical Experience by Precepting Tomorrow’s (PRECEPT) Nurses Act is supported by the Arizona State Board of Nursing.
Background:
According to the American Nurses Foundation, 89 percent of nurses report staffing shortages. The U.S. is projected to face a shortage of nurses through 2037. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. will need approximately 31,900 new advanced practice registered nurses and 194,500 registered nurses each year through 2032 to address demand. Yet despite this need, nursing programs turned away more than 65,000 applications in 2023 due to insufficient faculty and supervisors, clinical and classroom training sites, and financial resources.
The PRECEPT Nurses Act addresses the preceptor bottleneck by creating a seven-year pilot program to provide a $2,000 tax credit for individuals who serve as a clinical preceptor to nursing students, nurses with less than six months of experience, or advanced practice nurse candidates in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).
For full bill text, click here.
