Florida announces additional funding to support nursing education programs

Florida announces additional funding for nurse education

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced $26 million for nursing programs at state colleges, universities, and private schools.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Governor Ron DeSantis announced additional funding for state colleges, universities, and private nursing schools to help address Florida’s growing nursing shortage.

The funding aims to increase the number of nurses trained in Florida and encourage graduates to stay in the state.

The backstory:

Florida has awarded more than $485 million to support nursing programs through the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) and Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers, and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education (PIPELINE) initiatives since 2022. 

The programs provide scholarships for students, fund faculty recruitment, support equipment purchases, and enhance simulation centers.

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DeSantis announced another $20 million in LINE funding, with $14.5 million allocated to state colleges and private postsecondary institutions and $6 million to state universities. Overall, LINE has awarded more than $85 million, and PIPELINE has distributed $400 million to colleges, school districts, and universities across the state.

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DeSantis said the state is now producing more than 1,000 additional nurses each year through its colleges and universities compared with previous years, calling it a "meaningful increase."

State education officials said the funding is intended to expand nursing programs and strengthen the healthcare workforce by providing more opportunities for students and supporting professional training.

The funding will affect 20 of the state’s 28 public higher education institutions.