It seems like we’ve been saying it for years: Florida is in the midst of a nursing crunch, and we’ve been speeding toward a severe shortage. Between an aging population, an aging workforce, and rapid population growth, the state has been facing a perfect storm for a nursing crisis. But now there’s good news: The tide may finally be starting to turn.
According to a Florida Hospital Association report released earlier this year, significant progress has been made in the fight to shore up the nursing workforce.
Back in 2021, the Association projected that Florida would face a shortage of roughly 59,000 nurses by 2035 if no action was taken. Fortunately, action has been taken, and the numbers are starting to reflect that. Since 2022, registered nurse vacancy rates have dropped by 52 percent and turnover rates are down by 47 percent.
In January, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced continued support for nursing education, awarding more than $485 million through the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) and the Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers, and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education (PIPELINE) programs.
Those investments, paired with stronger partnerships between hospitals and high schools, innovative training programs, and increased emphasis on recruitment, are making substantial headway in rebuilding the nursing workforce of tomorrow.