Global nurse shortage and its effect on West Texas [Video]

MIDLAND, Texas — For the past few years, the nation has faced a serious shortage of nurses, and it’s no different in West Texas.

Michael Austin, CEO of Midland Community Healthcare Services, explained that nursing is more so a calling than just like any other job. He said, “it takes a special type of person to go into that field and thrive.

Austin said the nationwide nurse shortage has been building for over a decade.

“You had a high population of nurses and medical professionals from the baby boomer generation who are aging toward retirement,” Austin said. “They’re moving out of the job market, and there haven’t been enough people coming up behind them to backfill those positions.”

Several factors could be contributing to the …