The reclassification of the nursing profession is part of federal restructuring under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”.
In April 2026, the US Department of Education finalized the RISE rule, which removes nursing from the list of “professional degree” programs used to determine federal graduate student loan limits.
The American Nurses Association (ANA) and other nursing organizations have strongly opposed the move, calling it “flawed”, “financially harmful and symbolically insulting”, especially during a nationwide nursing shortage.
The rule was to take effect July 1, 2026, but it was blocked by a federal judge. So, for now, graduate nursing and several other healthcare fields have been restored to the “professional degree” category while the litigation continues.
The American people have no idea what else is included in Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”. It’s 870 pages long and contains hundreds of separate new provisions affecting taxes, healthcare, energy, agriculture, defense and education. It amends dozens of our federal laws and creates hundreds of new statutory provisions. These “new rules” will affect every one of us in one way or another.
Two and a half years to go. Trump and his Project 2025 creators are in a race to carry out all of their goals that will ultimately make us look and act like a completely different America.
Annette Bell
Otto