By Pedro C. De Guzman, President and CEO, HCI College
Florida’s healthcare system continues to face significant pressure as demand for qualified nurses grows. At the same time, nursing education programs are being asked to do more than ever: expand access for aspiring nurses while ensuring graduates enter the workforce prepared to provide safe, high-quality patient care.
These priorities are often framed as competing interests. In reality, they are not mutually exclusive. The future of nursing education in Florida depends on our ability to create more opportunities for students without compromising the rigorous standards that define the nursing profession.
Expanding access does not mean lowering standards
One of the most persistent misconceptions about nursing education is that some educational pathways are inherently less rigorous than others. That is not the case.
All pre-licensure registered nursing programs, regardless of degree type, must prepare students to meet the same NCLEX standards and demonstrate the same level of clinical competence and patient safety. Nursing curricula are highly structured and regulated, covering pharmacology, medical-surgical nursing, maternal-child health, mental health, and the care of medically complex patients.
The expectation is consistent across all pathways: graduates must be prepared to enter practice as safe, competent registered nurses. The pathway may differ, but the standards and expected outcomes do not.
The challenge is access, not interest
Florida continues to see strong interest in nursing careers. The problem is not a lack of motivated students. Rather, many qualified applicants are unable to access nursing education because of faculty shortages, limited clinical placements, and enrollment caps.
As a result, capable individuals are often turned away not because they lack the ability to succeed, but because educational capacity is limited.
If Florida is to meet its growing healthcare needs and address the nursing workforce shortage, expanding access to nursing education must be a priority.
Increasing capacity while preserving quality
Expanding nursing program capacity does not require lowering academic or clinical expectations. Instead, it requires innovative approaches that preserve quality while creating additional opportunities for students.
Programs can responsibly increase access through multiple cohort schedules, hybrid learning models, expanded use of simulation, and flexible scheduling options that accommodate working adults and other non-traditional students.
High-fidelity simulation has become an especially valuable educational tool, allowing students to develop clinical judgment and critical thinking skills in realistic, controlled environments before entering clinical settings.
However, innovation must always be paired with accountability. Student progression should be based on demonstrated competency, clinical reasoning, and mastery of required skills—not simply time spent in a program. Ultimately, nursing program quality should continue to be measured by outcomes such as NCLEX performance, graduate readiness, employer satisfaction, and patient care outcomes.
Technology can help educate more future nurses, but it should enhance, not replace, the clinical preparation essential to safe nursing practice.
Meeting students where they are
Today’s nursing students are more diverse than ever. Many are working adults, parents, military veterans, career changers, certified nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, and other healthcare professionals seeking advancement opportunities.
These students bring valuable life and healthcare experience to the classroom, but they also balance employment, family obligations, and financial responsibilities. Flexible program structures, including evening, weekend, hybrid, and bridge pathways, can remove barriers that have little to do with academic ability and everything to do with life circumstances.
Creating pathways that meet students where they are expands access while strengthening Florida’s healthcare workforce.
A shared responsibility
Addressing Florida’s nursing shortage will require collaboration among educators, healthcare employers, policymakers, and regulators. No single institution or sector can solve this challenge alone.
The path forward is clear: expand access to high-quality nursing education while maintaining the rigorous standards that protect patient safety and ensure professional competence. By increasing educational capacity without compromising outcomes, Florida can prepare more qualified nurses to meet growing healthcare needs.
At HCI College, we believe expanding access and maintaining excellence are not competing priorities — they are both essential to building the nursing workforce Florida needs.
Pedro C. De Guzman is President and CEO of HCI College, a private, accredited postsecondary institution specializing in healthcare education. HCI College prepares future registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, medical assistants, and veterinary assistants through its campuses in West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. With more than 40 years of experience in higher education, including 26 years in executive leadership roles, De Guzman has dedicated his career to advancing academic quality, student success, workforce development, and institutional growth.
