It is news to no one that there is a critical shortage of registered nurses in our region. Seeking to address the current shortage of approximately 22,000 registered nurses in Texas, the Texas Nursing Workforce Shortage Coalition has proposed a focused strategy to rapidly expand enrollment in schools of nursing and increase the number of nursing graduates in Texas.  The Coalition includes leaders from business, industry, professional organizations, various chambers of commerce, Texas Association of Business, Texas Hospital Association, Texas Nurses Association, and Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas. More than 80 other businesses and healthcare organizations – including the Health Industry Council of Dallas/Fort Worth -- have joined in support of this statewide effort.

Last year almost 8,000 qualified applicants were turned away from Texas nursing schools. The solution, proposed by the Coalition, increases capacity, improves efficiency, assists nursing students with financial aid and holds schools accountable for graduation rates. The proposal requests the Legislature to add $60 million to existing nursing education funding to double the number of nursing graduates by 2013.

A fact sheet that describes the Coalition’s proposal can be found at www.TexasNeedsNurses.org. Please take a moment to read the document.

Remember, healthcare is an economic engine in Texas – and nursing is the fuel that keeps that engine running.