AHA urges congressional action to bolster workforce

The American Hospital Association (AHA) this week urged Congress to make it easier for foreign-educated nurses to work in the U.S. as a short-term solution to address the nursing shortage. In a statement submitted for the record at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety, the AHA asked Congress to work with the State Department to prioritize and expedite visas for eligible nurses and make up to 40,000 unused visas available to nurses and physicians. The AHA also asked Congress to provide resources to increase nursing student and faculty populations; to support educational programming at schools of nursing; and to fund programs addressing nurse well-being. In addition, the AHA requested Congress provide increased funding for Title VII and VIII programs, including the health professions program, the National Health Service Corps and the nursing workforce development programs. (AHA News article, 9/14/22)