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    <loc>https://thenursingdirectory.com/news/aacn-nursing-school-enrollment-increase-2026</loc>
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        <news:name>The Nursing Directory</news:name>
        <news:language>en</news:language>
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      <news:publication_date>2026-06-22T08:00:00-06:00</news:publication_date>
      <news:title>AACN: Nursing School Applications Rose 8.3% in 2025–26 — First Increase in 4 Years</news:title>
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        <news:name>The Nursing Directory</news:name>
        <news:language>en</news:language>
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      <news:publication_date>2026-06-22T07:00:00-06:00</news:publication_date>
      <news:title>CMS Medicaid Work Requirements Take Effect — What the IFR Means for Hospital Nurses</news:title>
      <news:keywords>CMS Medicaid work requirements 2026, Medicaid community engagement rule nurses, Medicaid IFR hospital nurses, safety-net hospital Medicaid 2026</news:keywords>
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<url>
    <loc>https://thenursingdirectory.com/news/new-jersey-apn-independent-practice-sb2996</loc>
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      <news:publication>
        <news:name>The Nursing Directory</news:name>
        <news:language>en</news:language>
      </news:publication>
      <news:publication_date>2026-06-21T07:30:00-05:00</news:publication_date>
      <news:title>New Jersey APNs Can Now Practice Without a Physician Agreement — SB 2996 Signed</news:title>
      <news:keywords>New Jersey APN, independent practice, SB 2996, nurse practitioner, full practice authority, NJ APRN, physician collaboration, NJ nursing law 2026</news:keywords>
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    <loc>https://thenursingdirectory.com/news/medicare-advantage-ltc-prior-auth-oig-2026</loc>
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      <news:publication>
        <news:name>The Nursing Directory</news:name>
        <news:language>en</news:language>
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      <news:publication_date>2026-06-21T07:00:00-05:00</news:publication_date>
      <news:title>Medicare Advantage Plans Denied 71–80% of LTC Hospital Requests, OIG Reports</news:title>
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    <loc>https://thenursingdirectory.com/news/ohsu-nurses-10-days-to-contract-expiration-june-2026</loc>
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      <news:publication>
        <news:name>The Nursing Directory</news:name>
        <news:language>en</news:language>
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      <news:publication_date>2026-06-20T07:00:00-07:00</news:publication_date>
      <news:title>OHSU Nurses Are 10 Days From Contract Expiration — 3,200 ONA Members With No Deal Yet</news:title>
      <news:keywords>OHSU nurses contract 2026, ONA OHSU bargaining, Oregon nurse strike 2026, OHSU contract expiration</news:keywords>
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    <loc>https://thenursingdirectory.com/news/24-states-sue-doe-nursing-loan-exclusion-july-2026</loc>
    <news:news>
      <news:publication>
        <news:name>The Nursing Directory</news:name>
        <news:language>en</news:language>
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      <news:publication_date>2026-06-20T07:00:00-04:00</news:publication_date>
      <news:title>24 States Sue DOE Over Nursing&apos;s Exclusion from Grad Loan Limits — July 1 Is 11 Days Away</news:title>
      <news:keywords>nursing graduate loans 2026, OBBBA nursing loan cap, DOE nursing professional degree, NP CRNA loan limits July 2026</news:keywords>
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    <loc>https://thenursingdirectory.com/news/jefferson-einstein-nurses-strike-authorization-june-2026</loc>
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        <news:name>The Nursing Directory</news:name>
        <news:language>en</news:language>
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      <news:publication_date>2026-06-20T07:00:00-04:00</news:publication_date>
      <news:title>1,200 Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Nurses Vote 96% to Authorize Strike — No Contract Since April</news:title>
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