If the government restricts nursing from the professional category, fewer nurses will be able to advance their education.

Last week, nurses like myself were alarmed to learn that the federal Department of Education’s plans to redefine the “professional” category which may restrict advanced nursing students from accessing higher amounts of student loans.

I happen to be a nurse today because I was able to access these same types of loans. This feels like an affront.

Hawaiʻi has referred to nursing as a profession going back to the 1960s. Nursing is a highly ethical, trusted profession that utilizes scientific knowledge and applies it to compassionate patient care and healthcare leadership.

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