Rural Health
News by Topic: Nurse practitioners and other advanced practice registered nurses
CMS: Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
Federal Register
Aug 20, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) establishing a new system of records titled "Nurses for Nursing Homes Program (NNHP)," which will cover records on individuals who apply for, participate in, or otherwise support the NNHP. CMS will use these records to support the administration of Nursing Home Staffing Campaign/Nursing Incentive Program (NHSC/NIP), a nursing workforce incentive program designed to strengthen the workforce serving Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing homes with a focus on underserved and rural communities. This system of records is effective August 20, 2026. Comments are due September 21, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 23, 2026 - Two new advanced nursing programs in West Texas are opening this fall. The programs aim to address healthcare workforce shortages and make emergency healthcare more accessible for the rural Texas Panhandle.
Source: KVII
Jun 26, 2026 - A Virginia university is offering a new psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program to address a growing need for rural mental healthcare amid healthcare workforce shortages. The program will support placements in Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and North Carolina.
Source: Augusta Free Press

