Texas Tech Board Announces Construction of New Multi-Million Dollar Nursing Facility in Abilene

Today the Texas Tech University Board of Regents approved $13 million to construct a new nursing facility at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center campus in Abilene. The new construction will attach to the School of Pharmacy Building.

Pearl Merritt, the regional dean of the School of Nursing in Abilene said “This new facility will enable the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing at Abilene to grow to its full potential, thus helping to alleviate the state’s nursing shortage.”

In 2009, Texas faced a shortage of 20,000 nurses. The Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies estimates that conservatively, Texas will be short 71,000 nurses by 2020. Currently 56 students are enrolled in the School of Nursing at the Abilene campus. Estimated student enrollment by 2015 will be around 160 after the new building in constructed.