In May and July 2024, representatives of the United States Congress brought forward two bills to address the country’s nursing shortage. Representatives Haley Stevens and Dave Joyce brought forward the first bill, the Stop Nurse Shortages Act, on May 9. The law, if passed, will set up a $10 million per year federal grant program to expand accelerated degree programs in nursing schools.
On July 22, Rep. Don Beyer introduced the second bill, the National Urgent Recruitment for Skilled Employees (NURSE) Visa Act. The legislation, if passed, will establish 20,000 nonimmigrant visas every federal fiscal year to support the employment of qualified nurses in areas with low nurse populations.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a need for 193,100 nurses yearly from 2024 to 2032. Unfortunately, many states are already grappling with acute nurse shortages. In March 2024, Medical Solutions released a report highlighting the 20 states with the lowest nurse-to-population ratios. States at the top of this list included Utah, with 6.75 nurses per 1,000 people; Nevada, with 7.54 nurses per 1,000 people; and Georgia with 7.6 nurses per 1,000 people. Other states with worryingly low nurse-to-population ratios include Arizona, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Maryland.
