(Seguin) – TLU’s director of nursing is contributing to the discussions and prevention efforts regarding the state’s shortage in nursing.
Texas Lutheran University’s Dr. Ruth Eby, Director of Nursing, recently participated on the Governor’s Task Force on Healthcare Workforce Shortages.
Under the direction of Governor Abbott, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) created the task force to help address shortages in the healthcare workforce and to expand opportunities and remove barriers that exist for healthcare programs at colleges and universities.
“No one denies that there is a national nursing shortage,” says Eby. “Nurses make up the largest section of the health professions and are involved in every area of care. While the shortage is not new, we learned that Texas is expected to have a greater need than other states.
The concern is that the shortage of nurses in America is putting patient lives in danger.”
Three workgroups were established within the task force. The first was charged with identifying roles within the healthcare workforce, examining education processes for those roles, and looking for opportunities to streamline administrative barriers and identify best practices in preparation for those about to enter the field. The second workgroup reviewed nursing education programs, considering both curriculum and clinical training, to determine whether those competencies best prepare Texas students for the new and future realities of the healthcare workplace.
And finally, the third group—of which Eby was a part—was tasked with bolstering faculty and preceptors and studying barriers as well as opportunities to increase the faculty pipeline, looking into innovative models that might widen that pipeline to better serve the needs of the healthcare system and ensure that the workforce is reflective of all Texans.
Eby says the causes of shortages within the healthcare field are multifaceted—and that strategies to bolster those numbers must be just as diverse. “The workgroup I participated in shared and discussed many ideas to help schools and healthcare facilities meet the need for nursing faculty and preceptors.”
Eby goes on to explain that many of the strategies shared during the meetings have proved to be successful in local areas. “One of the most important things that came out of the conversation was that we need to work together. Local providers and schools must cooperate to implement some strategies, while other strategies will require a state-wide effort.”
Over the last few years, TLU’s nursing program has grown to be a prestigious program in the area for those looking to enter the healthcare field. Both a baccalaureate degree program in nursing and master’s degree program in nursing at Texas Lutheran University have been offered and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.