HHS Awards More Than $8.4 Million in Grants to Address Nation's Nursing Shortage

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced 34 grants worth more than $8.4 million to expand the nation’s nursing workforce and increase diversity in the nursing profession. The grants are the latest effort to address a growing shortage of nurses across the country.

“These grants will help to ensure that America has enough qualified nurses to meet the growing demands for their services across the country,” Secretary Thompson said. “Nurses make a real difference in our lives, one patient at a time. President Bush and I are committed to taking appropriate steps to address the threat to quality care posed by the nation’s shortage of nurses.”

The grants announced today are funded under two health professions workforce programs administered by HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Basic Nurse Education and Practice grants help improve the education of the basic nursing workforce and support nurse-managed clinics to improve access to primary health care in medically underserved communities. Nursing Workforce Diversity grants increase nursing opportunities for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds by providing student scholarships or stipends and other services.

“Grants like these help us build a better-trained and more diverse nursing workforce and fight the nursing shortage at the same time,” said Elizabeth M. Duke, Ph.D., HRSA administrator.

Studies have shown that the demand for nursing services is growing faster than the number of trained nurses, placing an increasing strain on the nation’s health care system. In July, HHS released a report showing that, if recent trends were to continue unchecked, the nation’s nursing shortage would continue to worsen significantly over the next two decades. In 2000, the shortage was estimated at 6 percent; by 2020, it is expected to reach 29 percent, the report said.

Early in his tenure, Secretary Thompson identified the nursing shortage as a critical national priority. In February, HHS launched a new campaign to encourage school children to consider careers in nursing and other health professions. In June, HHS awarded $30 million in grants to increase the number of qualified nurses and the quality of nursing services across the country. President Bush’s fiscal year 2003 budget for HHS also proposes to increase funding for the Nursing Education Loan Repayment program to a total of $15 million, nearly a 50 percent increase above the current year’s funding.

Lists of grantees by program area are attached below.