Rosen, Collins, Braun, introduce bipartisan bill to address nursing shortage

A recent analysis found that Nevada is one of the states with the least amounts of nurses per capita in the nation

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced the bipartisan Train More Nurses Act to address the nursing shortage affecting communities all across the nation. Every county in Nevada is experiencing a shortage of medical professionals, and a recent analysis found that Nevada is one of the states with the least amount of nurses per capita. According to the University of Nevada Reno’s Nevada Health Workforce Research Center, it would take an additional 4,000 registered nurses to catch up to the national average. This bipartisan legislation will direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Labor to conduct a review of all nursing grant programs to find ways to increase faculty at nursing schools, particularly in underserved areas. It will also increase pathways for Licensed Practical Nurses to become Registered Nurses.

“The shortage of nurses in Nevada is hurting families’ ability to get the care they need,” said Senator Rosen. “Nevada families deserve to have access to reliable, quality medical care, which is why I’m introducing bipartisan legislation to tackle this shortage and help increase the number of nurses in our state.”

“In the midst of a growing demand for medical treatments and services, health care providers across Maine continue to face a significant shortage of nurses. One challenge in growing the nursing workforce to meet this demand is the limited supply of nursing faculty available to increase student enrollment and train the next generation of nurses,” said Senator Collins. “By reviewing existing federal nurse workforce grant programs, this bipartisan legislation aims to identify strategies to close the faculty gap and other potential solutions to strengthen our nursing workforce and improve access to care, particularly in underserved communities in Maine and across our country.”

“We have a serious nursing shortage, and we need new ideas to solve this problem to help Hoosiers get better health outcomes,” said Senator Braun. “This bipartisan legislation will help us come up with ways to get more Americans into this important profession.”

“Nurses are an essential part of our nation’s health care system,” said Melodie Osborn, Chief Nurse Executive for Renown Health. “Reports show Nevada needs over 4,000 additional registered nurses to meet the national population-to-RN average. We are pleased to support Senator Rosen’s Train More Nurses Act to build our workforce, train and grow the next generation of nurses; create career ladders for nurses and recognize the critical role they play in primary care, mental health care, and maternal health care in communities across our state.”

“UNLV wholeheartedly supports the ‘Train More Nurses Act,’ which addresses critical issues within the nursing workforce. This proposed legislation takes significant steps to improve the quality and availability of nursing education while addressing workforce shortages, particularly in underserved areas,” said Keith Whitfield, President of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “By conducting a comprehensive review of grant programs and recommending changes to support nurse faculty, create pathways for experienced nurses to become educators, and promote the transition of licensed practical nurses to registered nurses, this act demonstrates a clear commitment to enhancing healthcare delivery and addressing the growing demand for skilled nursing professionals. As advocates for the health and well-being of our communities, we urge Congress to pass the ‘Train More Nurses Act’ to ensure a stronger, more resilient nursing workforce and, ultimately, improved healthcare outcomes for all Americans.”

“Nevada is facing a dire shortage of nurses. We are seeing more and more medical professionals leave our state, which is putting a strain on Nevada’s health care system and our workforce,” President Brian Sandoval of University of Nevada, Reno, said. “We are grateful Senator Rosen is taking action to address this shortage. Her bipartisan bill will support efforts by nursing schools across the state and increase the number of nurses training and working in Nevada.”

“As a frontline nurse with 26 years of service, I’ve experienced the staffing crisis firsthand, and know how much the Train More Nurses Act would help,” said Elizabeth Bolhouse, a registered nurse at University Medical Center of Southern Nevada and Executive Board Member of SEIU Local 1107, the largest healthcare and public service union in the state. “We urgently need to improve the nursing pipeline and address the lack of nursing faculty, especially in rural and underserved communities. Supporting more experienced nurses like myself to become faculty, and encouraging other healthcare workers such as LPNs to become registered nurses, would be major steps forward for protecting the health of all Nevadans.”

Senator Rosen is working to address Nevada’s health care professional shortage and improve medical care access in the state. Earlier this year, Senator Rosen helped introduce the bipartisan Medical Student Education Authorization Act to address the doctor shortage by expanding the Medical Student Education Program. She also introduced a package of bipartisan bills to tackle this health care professional shortage in Nevada and across the nation. Senator Rosen’s Maximizing Outcomes Through Better Investments in Lifesaving Equipment for (MOBILE) Health Care Act was signed into law in December, and allows community health centers to use federal funds to establish new, mobile health care units to increase access to health care services in rural and underserved communities.