Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Rhodalin Araos-Atienza with fellow Filipino nurses in Dearborn, Michigan. John Saavedra

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1771640138711Nurses Photo 2[8].jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Rhodalin Araos-Atienza with fellow Filipino nurses in Dearborn, Michigan. John Saavedra"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Rhodalin Araos-Atienza with fellow Filipino nurses in Dearborn, Michigan. John Saavedra</span></span></span></div><p>UNITED STATES — Filipino nurses and nursing students from Arizona to Washington, Michigan, Hawaii, and Texas are raising concerns over recent federal policy changes that could affect access to student loans for advanced nursing degrees.</p><p>Many say the shift may influence who can afford graduate education and how the nation’s healthcare workforce evolves in the coming years.</p><p>The changes, scheduled to take effect in July 2026, would cap federal graduate student loan borrowing limits and exclude certain advanced nursing degrees, including the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), from the federal classification used to determine higher loan caps for professional programs such as medicine and law.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/2/7/pentagon-to-cut-academic-ties-with-harvard-1453">Pentagon to cut academic ties with Harvard<br/></a></div><p>The US Department of Education has clarified that the classification is a funding distinction used solely for determining loan limits and does not change nurses&#x27; licensure, status and professional standing.</p><p>Still, many nurses say the financial implications could narrow pathways for working professionals seeking advanced credentials.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Access and Opportunity</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>For Aoliah Arabit, a first-year nursing student at Arizona State University in Phoenix, the policy raises questions about long-term access to higher education.</p><p>“I’ve considered pursuing an advanced degree like many of my peers,” Arabit said. “With this new policy, it will affect students’ access to higher education, and I worry about the impact on our healthcare industry and patients.”</p><p>Mitzi Weiss, a trauma ICU nurse at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital &amp; Medical Center in Phoenix, said she plans to pursue advanced training but recognizes that not all nurses have equal financial flexibility.</p><p>“This legislation negatively affects prospective students, especially those in underserved populations who may not have access to private loans,” Weiss said. “There is already a shortage of advanced practice providers, and that shortage is expected to grow as the population ages.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/1/13/15-000-ny-nurses-stage-largest-ever-strike-over-conditions-1519">15,000 NY nurses stage largest-ever strike over conditions<br/></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Impact on the Healthcare Pipeline</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Healthcare educators say the ripple effects could extend beyond tuition costs.</p><p>Alain de la Cruz, MSN-Ed., a clinical practice educator at Valleywise Health in Phoenix and president of the Filipino American Nurses Organization of the Grand Canyon State, said funding limitations could reduce enrollment in graduate programs.</p><p>“That ultimately affects hospitals, staffing stability, and the national healthcare workforce,” dela Cruz said.</p><p>He noted that master’s- and doctoral-prepared nurses are also essential to filling faculty roles. The US continues to face shortages of nursing educators, limiting the number of students nursing schools can admit each year.</p><p>“When fewer educators enter the pipeline, it reduces school capacity,” he said. “Over time, that compounds workforce challenges.”</p><p>In Tacoma, Washington, Mandy Chan, a Filipino-born registered nurse with more than 22 years of critical care experience and leadership roles ranging from charge nurse to virtual ICU clinician, said advanced education strengthens patient safety and workforce resilience.</p><p>“Advanced practice nurses and experienced clinicians fill critical gaps in care,” Chan said. “If fewer nurses can pursue graduate education, staffing shortages could deepen.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2025/6/27/pinoys-to-be-tapped-as-virtual-nurses-sitters-for-us-hospitals-1321">Pinoys to be tapped as &#x27;virtual nurses, sitters&#x27; for US hospitals<br/></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Rural Care and Expanding Demand</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Several nurses highlighted broader system pressures.</p><p>Advanced practice nurses frequently serve in rural and underserved communities where physician shortages persist.</p><p>As chronic disease management needs increase and the US population continues to age, these providers often help stabilize access to primary and specialty care.</p><p>Mary Jane “MJ” Benito Berg, an independent psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner in Phoenix who trained in both the Philippines and the United States, said access to graduate education enabled her independent practice.</p><p>“These changes could lead to shortages of nurse practitioners and educators,” Berg said. “Advanced practice nurses are essential in addressing provider shortages and expanding access.”</p><p>Melody Eustaquio Orillo, a registered nurse in Gilbert, Arizona with nearly three decades of hospital experience, said graduate-prepared nurses strengthen workforce stability and improve patient outcomes.</p><p>“With expanded knowledge and scope of practice, they help support care teams and improve patient outcomes,” Orillo said.</p><p>In Dearborn, Michigan, dialysis nurse Rhodalin Araos-Atienza said workforce shortages are already visible in many states.</p><p>“With existing nursing shortages, limiting access to advanced degrees could increase strain on hospitals and patient-to-nurse ratios,” she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Professional Identity and Long-Term Outlook</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>While federal officials maintain that the loan classification does not redefine nursing as a profession, some nurses say public perception and long-term access still matter.</p><p>Sarah Arabit, a nurse practitioner and founding member of the Filipino American Nurse Practitioners in Arizona, said the issue is deeply personal.</p><p>Her own path to advanced practice was made possible through access to graduate education and mentorship.</p><p>For the past eight years, she has served patients in both clinic and hospital settings, often caring for individuals who might otherwise face long waits for primary care.</p><p>“When access to advanced nursing education becomes limited, it doesn’t just affect students,” Arabit said. “It affects real patients, real families, and entire communities who depend on us.”</p><p>She noted that nurse practitioners frequently help fill critical gaps in care, particularly in underserved populations.</p><p>“This is not just a workforce issue,” she said. “It is a patient care issue.”</p><p>Arabit added that professional recognition influences how careers are viewed and pursued.</p><p>“When advanced nursing education is recognized and supported, it strengthens the profession,” she said. “If pathways narrow, it may discourage future nurses from pursuing leadership and specialization.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>A Calling Beyond Labels</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Despite concerns about financial barriers, many nurses emphasized that their commitment to the profession remains rooted in service.</p><p>In Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, Shellamay Benedito, an LPN with nearly two decades of pediatric experience, said her dedication is unchanged.</p><p>“My commitment to this profession has never been about labels,” Benedito said. “It’s about caring for patients and making a difference.”</p><p>In Dallas, Texas, Patty Cortez, a former registered nurse who now mentors healthcare professionals, described the healthcare system as interconnected.</p><p>“When access narrows at the educational level, the effects are felt years later in patient care,” Cortez said.</p><p>Across multiple states and specialties, from students to ICU nurses, educators, and nurse practitioners, Filipino nurses say the discussion extends beyond funding classifications.</p><p>They describe it as a conversation about educational access, workforce sustainability, and preparation for future healthcare demands.</p><p>As federal officials move toward implementation in 2026, the long-term impact remains to be seen. What remains clear, however, is the steady presence of Filipino nurses across the country, continuing to serve in hospitals, clinics, and communities while navigating changes in policy and practice.</p><p>For many, the calling endures. Regardless of funding structures or classifications, they say their focus remains on patient care, leadership, and strengthening the next generation of nurses who will continue serving communities nationwide.</p>

<p>Filipino nurses and nursing students from Arizona to Washington, Michigan, Hawaii, and Texas are raising concerns over recent federal policy changes that could affect access to student loans for advanced nursing degrees.</p>

Filipino nurses and nursing students from Arizona to Washington, Michigan, Hawaii, and Texas are raising concerns over recent federal policy changes that could affect access to student loans for advanced nursing degrees.

Filipino nurses in US worry over federal loan caps on advanced nursing degrees

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Filipino nurses in US worry over federal loan caps on advanced nursing degrees

John Saavedra

Published Feb 21, 2026 12:36 PM PHT

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Updated Feb 21, 2026 12:39 PM PHT

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