The American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA) continues to strongly oppose the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to reclassify nursing degrees, so they are no longer considered professional degrees for federal loan purposes. This policy shift represents a setback for the nursing profession and a barrier to the continued education and advancement of nephrology nurses across the country.
Nephrology nurses are highly trained professionals who care for some of the most medically complex and vulnerable patients, including individuals with chronic kidney disease, those undergoing dialysis, and patients with multiple comorbid conditions. The clinical expertise required to manage these patients safely and compassionately demands advanced education and continuous professional development.
By limiting graduate loan access and excluding nursing from the professional degree category, the Department of Education risks stalling the pipeline of nurses who pursue advanced practice, educator, and leadership roles in nephrology.
“As nurses, we dedicate our lives to caring for people at their most vulnerable, and nephrology nurses see that every single day. That’s why this decision from the Department of Education is so disheartening. To say nursing is not a professional degree diminishes the years of study, sacrifice, and compassion that define our work,” said Dr. Faith Lynch, 2025-2026 ANNA National President. “It also puts real barriers in front of nurses who want to grow, lead, and continue serving patients with complex kidney disease. ANNA is against this change, and we’re asking the Department of Education to reconsider it.”
ANNA has joined with the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC) in two letters to the Department of Education in support of retaining nursing as a professional degree.
In addition, ANNA is supporting a petition sponsored by the American Nurses Association (ANA) urging the Department of Education to revise the proposed definition of ‘professional degrees’ to explicitly include nursing.
ANNA will continue to work with the NCC and ANA in calling on the Department of Education to reverse this policy and restore full professional recognition to nursing degrees. The future of kidney care in America depends on a strong, well-supported nephrology nursing workforce.
