With the passing of President Obama’s stimulus bill, it’s important to take a look at the direct impact on nurses. The $787 billion package includes provisions for $52 billion in healthcare spending. Of that, $11.46 billion will go toward strengthening the healthcare workforce, and $500 million will target investments such as Title VIII nurse training programs. Title VIII is the principal source of federal funding for nurse education, basic and advanced; for workforce diversity grants; and for faculty education loans.

Several national nurse organizations were active in lobbying for education funds in the stimulus. Nursing leaders believe the funding will save thousands of lives and millions of dollars linked to complications from avoidable nurse shortages.

Health information technology, wellness/prevention programs and community health centers will also benefit. The Center for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health will get money for basic biomedical research, and the National Health and National Nurse Service Corps will get additional funding for medically underserved neighborhoods. Money will also be allocated for studies on the effectiveness of treatments paid for by Medicare, Medicaid (and MediCal) and SCHIP.