UNT Health Science Center to open nursing school to address national shortage
The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth is opening a college of nursing to address a national shortage and a bottleneck in training, the university announced Tuesday.
Texas has the second fewest nurses per capita in the United States, and regional nursing schools have turned away 30,000 qualified applicants over the past two years, the university said in a statement.
“We are committed to producing outstanding nurse leaders who embrace whole-person health, address health disparities, and ensure safe, high-quality care in the communities where we live and work,” said provost Charles Taylor in the release.
The Board of Regents approved the plan at its Feb. 16 meeting.
Developing a nursing school has been a priority for UNT HSC president Sylvia Trent-Adams.
The college of nursing is part of the center’s “moral obligation to take bold steps to fill this gap in health care,” she said.
The university is starting a nationwide search for a dean. It’s also developing coursework and collaborating with oversight boards to get accreditation.
