November 4, 2019      4:48 PM

Programs grapple with the challenges of the Texas nursing shortage

“The feedback we’re getting is that we’re just at the point of saturation. To add more seats is almost impossible”

Addressing the state’s nursing workforce shortage may soon be hampered by an inability to recruit qualified staff to teach in the two and four-year programs across the state.

An ongoing review of the state’s short of nurses by a stakeholder task force – formally known as Nursing Shortage Reduction Program Rider 28 task force – is written into the Texas budget. Each year, lawmakers set aside $10 million in awards for two-year, four-year and private not-for-profit institutions to expand both enrollment and graduation from nursing programs.

Nursing programs gathered recently to discuss the constraints and challenges of the nursing shortage program. Director Marla Erbin-Roesemann, president of the group, told the task force the feedback was that programs are close to hitting the wall on capacity.

By Kimberly Reeves

Copyright November 04, 2019, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved