Labor Department Invests Millions of Dollars in Nurses

By Jonathan Springston, Editor, Relias Media

The U.S. Department of Labor announced this week it will offer $80 million to help educators and other groups train nurses and close the staffing gap.

Made available through the Nursing Expansion Grant Program and administered by the Employment and Training Administration, H-1B Skills Training Grants will be made available not just to train new nurses, but to diversify the workforce and empower traditionally marginalized and underrepresented communities. Eligible applicants include Native American tribal governments, nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status, and public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.

The department encourages applicants to form public-private partnerships that put workers, unions, and other worker advocacy groups at the center of their strategy. The department underscores its desire for applicants to create a strategy that includes evidenced-based research, supportive services, and tactics to remove barriers to training and access. Grants will be awarded in amounts between $1 million and $6 million. The application window is open now through Jan. 6, 2023.

“Many healthcare workers, nurses among them, have worked around the clock throughout the pandemic to care for those in need and save countless lives, often while risking their own health and well-being,” said Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “Today, they face diminished ranks of colleagues to help shoulder these burdens as patients continue to depend on them. The funding opportunity announced today will support training and other programs to help advance workforce equity while bringing more nurses into the industry.”

Be sure to check out the upcoming November issue of Hospital Employee Health and the December issue of ED Management, both of which will be filled with critical information you need to know about staffing and solutions to help your facilities manage staffing challenges.