We hear a lot these days about the nursing shortage. Dire predictions about the impact on patient care are scary, to say the least. Part of the problem is not a lack of willing students, but a lack of teaching staff.
Now, the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Nursing has some good news. It's been awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in state funding to bring more nursing students into the classroom and eventually out into the workforce.
"The goal is to bring more nursing graduates into the workforce,which is getting smaller as many nurses are retiring," explained School of Nursing Dead Eileen T. Breslin, RN, Ph.D. Meanwhile, she says, the baby boomer population is getting older and, of course, will need more nursing care.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board gave the school $210,000 in November and $300,000 in September, as part of money authorized by the 81st State Legislature of 2009. The plan is to gradually admit larger nursing classes to graduate more nurses. The hope is to increase overall enrollment by 25% over the next five years.
