The Texas Department of State Health Services says that by the year 2020 the state will be facing a shortage of 71,000 nurses. 

The Dallas Morning News reports that tens of thousands of qualified applicants have been turned away from nursing schools for at least the past 5 years because there aren't enough teachers to conduct classes or enough clinical sites where students can get hands-on experience.

Across the country, experts predict a shortage of more than 260,000 nurses by 2025.

According to a report from Pricewaterhouse Coopers, a tax and business consulting firm, the country is projected to begin decreasing after this year.

Many nurses are expected to retire just as baby boomers begin turning 65 and will need more health care. The average age of a nurse in Texas is 54. According to the Texas Nurses Association, almost 57 percent of all nursing faculty will reach age 65 within 7 years.

In hopes of fighting this shortage Texas Legislators have tripled its appropriations for nursing education. The Legislature appropriated $14.7 million for the 2008-09 biennium but provided $49.7 million for the current biennium.

Nursing schools were put in one of two categories: high producers and low producers. With the high producers receiving $20.5 million over two years, and lower producers receiving $9.5 million as an incentive to improve.

Online:

Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies 
Texas Board of Nursing