Del Mar College

CORPUS CHRISTI (News Release) - On Friday, June 7, Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) announced the formation of a Texas Healthcare Workforce Task Force and its inaugural members to address the state’s healthcare workforce shortage amid a growing population. The charge also includes ensuring students entering the healthcare sector receive the necessary training equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed for successful careers in today’s workforce and that of the future.

The 13-member task force, which is made up of healthcare experts, industry leaders and individuals from top-tier higher education institutions, including its Chair and President and CEO of Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute Victoria Ford, represents the various needs across the state associated with both workforce and educational requirements focused on curtailing the shortage.

Three primary topics have already been developed to cover the scope of the task force’s charge, including 1) Expanding the Pipeline, 2) Modernizing the Production Model and 3) Bolstering Faculty and Preceptors; and, 64 experts from across Texas representing various subject matter related to these topics have been selected from among nominations to serve as advisory members on one of three workgroups that will each address one of the three topics.

Out of those representatives selected, two are faculty and registered nurses from the Del Mar College (DMC) Nurse Education Department, including Professor Dr. Mary L. Borchardt, DNP, RN, and Assistant Professor Sandra De Leon, MSN, RN.

“It’s important for our faculty and staff to share their expertise and participate in decision making made by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and state level committees to advance excellence in education,” said DMC Vice President and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Jonda Halcomb. “So, I’m very pleased to have two Nurse Education faculty serve in leadership roles to address the concerns about healthcare workforce shortages as workgroup advisory members for the Governor’s appointed Texas Healthcare Workforce Task Force.”

“These two Del Mar College faculty are highly qualified to represent the Coastal Bend, and they’ll make significant contributions to the benefit of healthcare in Texas,” she added.

Dr. Borchardt’s background includes teaching the associate degree program for 22 years, serving in the Reserve Army Nurse Corps for 28 years as well as having practiced as an emergency room nurse for 30 years.

As part of her nomination, Dr. Borchardt noted, “I offer perspectives from different environmental experiences to explore alternative milieus [settings] in reshaping the shortages identified in the state’s healthcare workforce”

Her colleague, De Leon, also brings a different perspective to the table by having extensive experience as a clinical instructor, director of nursing for a school district and a background in pediatric care. 

“I would bring a multifaceted approach to addressing the nursing shortage within the healthcare task force,” she wrote, citing that her clinical experience equips her with the ability to mentor and train the next generation of nurses; her administrative duties with the school district provides insight into effective resource management, along with policy advocacy supporting retention and recruitment of nurses; and her pediatric experience allows her to understand unique needs within that area of medicine and specialized pediatric nursing roles.

“Through collaboration, education and advocacy, I am confident that I can contribute significantly to alleviating the challenges posed by the nursing shortage and strengthening the healthcare workforce,” De Leon wrote.

Information sent to advisory members defining the workgroup topics and their charge included:

• Workgroup 1 - Expanding the Pipeline:  This workgroup will look to identify the roles of nurse aides, assistants, and technicians with the healthcare workforce, and examine the preparation, education, and certification processes for these roles, ensure effective monitoring of these professionals, look for opportunities to streamline any administrative barriers along these lines, identify and expand the use of best practices in preparation of these important professionals.

• Workgroup 2 - Modernizing the Production Model: This workgroup will review the preparation of nurses, considering both the curriculum and the clinical training, and determine whether those competencies best prepare Texas students for the new and future realities of the healthcare workplace. This workgroup will review the current curriculum and training requirements (didactic and clinical) necessary for students to successfully complete these programs, examine the potential impacts of new and evolving technologies in the field, and explore a variety of other educational preparation models that can be utilized to ensure graduates meet the evolving challenges for the future healthcare workforce.  

• Workgroup 3 - Bolstering Faculty and Preceptors: This workgroup will study and identify the barriers and opportunities to increasing the faculty pipeline and other health professions. In addition, the workgroup will review other innovative models which could be beneficial for increasing the faculty pipeline that will serve the needs of the healthcare system and ensure the healthcare workforce is reflective of all Texans. 

Both Dr. Borchardt and De Leon will serve as advisory members with Workgroup 3.