What would the world be like without healthcare?

This is the question on everyone’s minds as nursing is threatened to be removed as a professional degree in the United States.

The “big, beautiful bill” does a lot of things, with one of those being the removal of nursing from the list of professional degrees. The passing of this bill means numerous things for current nurses and nursing students throughout the United States, and most of them aren’t good. These nurses are already speaking out about their outrage due to the passing of this bill.

The bill was signed by President Donald Trump on July 4th, 2025. Some of the effects from this bill will be put into place in 2026, while others are already beginning to appear. One change that is anticipated to come into play on July 1st of 2026 is the reclassification and exclusion of advanced nursing degrees from the list of “professional degrees.” Other jobs and degrees are also excluded, including artists, writers, and consultants.

“I feel strongly that it is insulting to professionals in all aspects that any type of degree would not be called professional. Nurses are professional caregivers in more ways than just attaining professional degrees. Advanced education levels that are attained allow for advanced care to be provided and increased quality of care, which results in advanced patient outcomes,” said MSN, RN, and CNL Jamie Ward.

The bill specifically mentions cutting back the cap on student loans for nursing degrees. It specifically removed the “GRAD PLUS” loan program, which previously allowed students to borrow up to their entire tuition. The absolute total limit now is $100,000. There were also changes to the loan forgiveness and repayment section, and now you can only have loan forgiveness if it hasn’t been paid back in 30 years.

“The exclusion of nursing from the ‘professional degree’ classification has significant financial implications. It will restrict access to necessary federal loans for graduate nursing education, capping borrowing at limits designed for general graduate programs rather than the intensive, specialized training required for advanced practice roles. This creates a major barrier for qualified individuals aspiring to advance their education and careers, disproportionately affecting a field largely composed of women,” said DNP, MSN, RN, NE-BC, and Chief Nurse of Acute Care, Stacy Colligan.

Healthcare professionals are extremely unhappy about this new addition, particularly due to the rising cost of nursing school. Based on statistics, the cost to get a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from a public university typically ranges from $20,000 to $80,000, and typically between $100,000 and $200,000 for more advanced degrees. That cost goes up the longer a student is in school as well. This also doesn’t account for the cost of books, required clinicals, and fees.

“I believe this is something that should be looked at among all professions and adjust the cost of schools based on this. The whole point is not to have students go into debt that they cannot pay back with inflated costs. I would love this as a start, but moving to decrease cost would be amazing. Nursing had Diploma programs that developed amazing nurses, and I believe they should come back at a lower cost,” said MSN, RN, CEN, and emergency department manager Tracy Foltman.

Some hospitals in Kentucky, such as Norton’s, will offer to assist in the cost of nursing school for a 3-5 year commitment after school. However, these contracts are extremely strict and not a great substitute for a loan.

“I further feel the reduction in level of monetary allowances will reduce patient care in rural areas due to nurses who attain a level of nursing education and are primary providers for their families, and must continue to work while furthering their education, and must opt for higher-priced online options while still maintaining full-time employee and family status,” said Ward.

Beyond financial concerns, the bill also demonstrates a moral and workforce crisis. There is already a shortage of nurses all throughout America, and this bill is predicted to worsen that further.

“At a time of historic workforce shortages, we should be encouraging, not hindering, educational pathways into critical healthcare professions. The American Nurses Association (ANA) and other professional nursing organizations have urgently called for this definition to be revised to explicitly include nursing education pathways to continue to learn, grow, and serve their communities well well-being,” said Colligan.

This bill is so extremely controversial throughout the nursing community. It poses the question to millions of nurses who have worked their entire lives to help save others, are they professional or not? These millions of students, current nurses, and previous nurses have a right to be outraged as the United States government is essentially giving them a large slap in the face.

“Nurses are the backbone of the American healthcare system, providing essential, science-based care underpinned by ethical standards and rigorous training. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), such as nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives, require post-baccalaureate degrees to practice and often serve in high-need or rural areas where physicians may be scarce. Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP), prepares nurses for complex roles in quality, systems-level change, and executive leadership, though challenges like standardization and ROI data remain. The DNP advances clinical expertise, fosters innovation, improves patient outcomes, and addresses workforce needs, viewing it as essential for navigating future healthcare challenges like burnout and shortages,” said Colligan.

These women are not the only ones with a voice. All over the internet, other nurses are sharing the same level of outrage with their government. Outrage towards the severe disservice that has been committed against them.

Without nurses or health care professionals, the United States would fall apart. These people have watched thousands of people die, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak, where they had to gut-wrenchingly video call families to inform them about their loved ones’ passing. There is no excuse for the declassification of professionalism from these people.