This Week's Top Nursing Jobs and Headlines

Your twice-weekly roundup of nursing news, work trends, and opportunities

Welcome to Nurse Ascent, a twice-weekly newsletter created by nurses for nurses. This week, we round up Nurses Week deals, break down a student loan rule impacting nurses, and look at ongoing strike activity across the country, plus the latest nursing jobs available.

But first....

Featured Jobs

Have you applied to a job through Nurse Ascent? Forward us a copy or screenshot of your completed application and you'll be entered to win a $50 gift card!

🩺

Nurse Practitioner I / Physician Assistant I - J2 CVICU, Stanford Health Care

Remote

$89.01 - $117.94/hourly

Apply Now →

☤

Nursing Director Capacity Management and Rapid Response (RN), MedStar Health

Washington, DC

$120,702 - $238,222

Apply Now →

♡

Clinical Nurse II, Alameda Health System

Oakland, CA

$74.07 - $108.57/hourly

Apply Now →

💉

Nursing Faculty, University of New Mexico - Hospitals

Albuquerque, NM

$42.82 - $46.82/hourly

Apply Now →

🩹

Registered Nurse, Seattle Children's

Seattle, WA

$51.60 - $91.30/hourly

Apply Now →

🩸

Registered Nurse - Pediatric Sub-Acute, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego

San Diego, CA

Apply Now →

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Headlines in Healthcare

Nurses Week deals are back across the country

Nurses Week brings a range of freebies and discounts from national brands, most available through May 12 with a valid nurse ID. Here’s a quick roundup of what’s being offered:

Shake Shack: Free ShackBurger or Veggie Shack with purchase, May 4–12.
Chipotle: Enter to win a free entrée e-gift card through May 12.
Duck Donuts: Free medium hot coffee or cold brew on May 8 with ID. Also 20% off online orders of $50+ with code THANKYOU2026 through May 8.
Insomnia Cookies: Buy 1 cookie, get 1 free for rewards members with valid ID, May 5–12. Also 20% off online orders of 50+ cookie packs with code EARNEDIT26.
McAlister’s Deli: Free sweet or unsweet tea, May 4–8. No purchase required.
MOD Pizza: Buy a MOD-size pizza or salad, get one free, May 4–7.
Potbelly: Free cookie or regular fountain drink with entrée purchase, May 4–12. Also 10% off catering orders over $200 with code SAVE10 through May 10.
Ruby Tuesday: Free add-on Garden Bar with entrée purchase, May 5–6, using code THANKYOU26.
Scooter’s Coffee: Free medium drink on May 5.

Nursing still Not a 'Professional Degree'

The U.S. Department of Education has finalized its RISE rule, which clarifies that nursing degrees do not qualify as "professional degrees" under federal student loan regulations, Becker’s Hospital Review reports. This designation affects how nursing students’ loans are managed and may influence repayment options and eligibility for certain loan forgiveness programs. The ruling maintains the current classification despite ongoing discussions about nursing education and licensure standards. As a result, nursing programs and students will continue to navigate existing federal policies regarding financial aid and loan servicing, which could impact workforce entry and retention amid ongoing staffing challenges nationwide.

Nurse strikes continue across the country

Nurse strikes and strike authorizations are continuing across multiple states in 2026, with staffing, pay, and working conditions remaining the core issues driving action, according to Nurse.org. From long-running strikes like the one in Michigan to new walkouts and pending actions in states like Louisiana and Massachusetts, the trend highlights growing pressure on healthcare systems as more nurses turn to collective action to push for change.

Share your story & be entered to win

As part of our effort to spotlight nurses, we’d love to feature you in an upcoming issue of Nurse Ascent! Share your story by filling out our quick interview form, and you’ll be entered into a raffle to win a $50 gift card.

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