Texas is facing a nursing shortage, just like the entire United States. The Center for Nursing Workforce Studies reports a projected shortage of approximately 57,000 RNs in Texas by 2032. This shortage will impact the quality of patient care, as well as patient satisfaction.
Since the COVID pandemic, the nursing shortage has increased. Nurses are experiencing burnout and increased stresses in the workplaces. This strongly impacts the workforce and increases the nurse vacancies in many of the related healthcare fields. Other factors include the population growth in the state and the life expectancy of adults has increased. People are living longer. These people typically have chronic conditions and other diseases that require care and strain the already taxed healthcare system.
This aging population also affects existing nursing positions. These are called the “baby boomer nurses,” who have long term careers in nursing. Many of these are in leadership positions and are retiring and leaving the nursing field. Others are in faculty positions, thus creating a shortage of instructors to teach and train our upcoming nurses.
