U.S. expands nurse training funding

WASHINGTON, June 17 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama told a gathering of nurses in Washington his administration has taken steps to speed up training for nurse practitioners.

Speaking Wednesday to the American Nurses Association, the president thanked the organization for advocating for healthcare reform legislation but said "there is more work to do."

"And that's why today my administration is announcing a number of investments to expand the primary care workforce," the president said. "This includes funding to allow students training part-time to become nurse practitioners to start training full-time. We want to speed up the process where folks go from the classroom into the exam room."

Obama said the federal government will "provide resources" for clinics operated by registered nurses and nurse practitioners.

"Without these nurses, many people in cities and rural areas would have no access to care at all," he said.

The president said the healthcare reform legislation passed by Congress this year is already resulting in a "profound shift" and told his audience 4 million small businesses and organizations were notified by the IRS recently they could be eligible for tax cuts this year that "will help millions to provide coverage to their employees."