2023 Karen De Filippis 2 posts Re Topic 2 DQ 1 The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Karen De Filippis  

 2 posts  Re:Topic 2 DQ 1  

           The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was signed into law in 2010; it has and will continue to have a dynamic impact upon the nursing profession. The PPACA has introduced many provisions applicable to nursing, but this discussion will focus on education and nurse-managed health clinics.  

         The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recognizes that healthcare has become increasingly complex, intensive, and technical, and that nurses are given greater responsibilities. Consequently, it is imperative that nurses achieve advanced levels of training and education. In response to this need, the PPACA has increased the loan amount for nurses education to $17,000 and has also expanded the funding allotted to graduate nursing students for clinical education. It should be noted that although the cost of education has risen dramatically, the federal loan amounts have not been changed for over a decade. 

The government has authorized $338 million to develop programs that include advanced education grants for nurses. Furthermore, the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) provides support programs for RNs who are pursuing careers as Advanced Practice Nurses.    

       In the US today, we are currently experiencing a physician shortage problem (Stokowski, 2010); very often patients must wait over one month to see a specialist. On the contrary, Nurse Practitioner (NP) candidates and programs are increasing. The good news is that the PPACA is not only granting funds for NP training, but also for nurse-managed health clinics.  In 2014, HRSA estimated that nearly 60 million persons had limited access to healthcare. In 2013, Health Affairs published the results of a study conducted by the RAND Corporation; the committee recommended that nurse-managed care centers could relieve the current pressures experienced by the primary care staff.   

        Because of the recommended provisions, educational opportunities for nurses will be less costly and burdensome. For example, at the hospital where I am employed, the tuition reimbursement amount has risen. Nurses will be more likely to pursue advanced degrees, and when they do achieve their goals, facilities will be available where they can practice advanced skills. 

  American Nurses Association, (2014). Health care reform. Retrieved from           www.nursingworld.org Health care reform law begins to have effect on nursing (2011). 

Retrieved from           http://www.rwif.org/en/library Hertel, R. (2011). Health care reform & issues in nursing. Matters.(2011). Stokowski, L. (2010). Healthcare reform and nurses: challenges and opportunities.      

     Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com National Nursing Centers Consortium. Nurse-managed health clinics.    

       Retrieved from https://www.nncc.us/images