A new state-funded initiative in Mississippi will pay up to $6,000 each year for up to three years toward nurses' student loans if they meet certain criteria, CBS affiliate WCBI reported Aug. 11.
Eligible nurses must be in their first year, work full-time as an LPN or RN within the state at either a nursing facility or an acute care hospital that is licensed by the Mississippi State Department of Health. Some second and third year nurses may be eligible in certain circumstances, according to the program's website.
The intent is to attract and retain more nurses within the state, which — like many other states — is projected to come up short of meeting the demand by 2030.