S.4568

Nursing is a Professional Degree Act

Introduced·5/19/26

Amends the Higher Education Act to classify nursing degrees as professional degrees.

The Nursing is a Professional Degree Act amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to redefine "professional degree" to include nursing degrees such as MSN, DNP, DNAP, or Ph.D. This change aims to recognize nursing degrees as professional degrees, aligning them with other health-related degrees like medicine and pharmacy. The bill updates the definition to ensure nursing degrees meet the criteria for professional degrees, which require both academic completion and a level of professional skill beyond a bachelor’s degree.

Included in complete analysis

  • Overview
  • Core Provisions
  • Implementation
  • Impact
  • Legal Framework
  • Critical Issues

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Where it stands

Current
Health, Education, Labor, And Pensions Committee
Next
Committee decision

Sponsors

Democratic CaucusRepublican Caucus

History

May 19

Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.