House hearing examines strengthening health care workforce

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee this week held a hearing on strengthening the health care workforce. In a statement submitted for the hearing, the American Hospital Association urged Congress to address nursing shortages by investing in nursing education and faculty. It asked Congress to provide scholarships and loan repayment by reauthorizing and funding Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development programs, including the National Health Service Corps. It called for grants to nursing workforce centers to support research to determine which types of workforce programs are most effective in attracting and retaining nurses. The AHA also requested Congress to support expedition of visas for foreign-trained nurses in medically underserved areas, investigate travel nurse agency practices, allow innovative staffing models to develop, and support the well-being of the health care workforce. (AHA News article, 4/19/23)