Broken Arrow faces critical nurse shortage, launches training effort

The Broken Arrow Economic Development Corporation says the city will need at least 350 new nurses in the next three to five years to meet healthcare demands.

Oklahoma ranks near the bottom nationally in the number of nurses per capita, and leaders in Broken Arrow say the situation is becoming critical. With many local nurses working multiple shifts, city leaders are launching education-based initiatives to recruit new talent—and keep it local.

Why Broken Arrow needs more nurses

Amber Miller, vice president of economic development at the Broken Arrow Economic Development Corporation, says Oklahoma ranks 46th in the country in nurses per capita, below the national average of 9.2 nurses per 1,000 people.

“It may look like there are nurses there working and everything is good, but these nurses may be working on their third overtime shift, which leads to burnout," Miller said. "We're seeing, in addition to retirement and in population growth, we're seeing that burnout in health, not only in nurses but healthcare workers in general."

Local outreach to high school students

To address the shortage, Broken Arrow is focusing on high schoolers. Miller says there is a healthcare career day every spring, which introduces students to potential paths in nursing and medicine without leaving the community.

“Here locally, we’re bringing awareness to those careers in healthcare,” Miller said. “We do that a few different ways. One of those is our healthcare career day that we do each spring, and we are in the high schools.”

STEM summer camps foster early interest

Each summer, there is also a STEM-focused camp centered around healthcare careers. Organizers hope the hands-on experience will encourage students to consider jobs in local hospitals and clinics.

Miller says part of the strategy is to dispel myths about what healthcare careers look like and make them feel accessible.

“That’s our role,” she said, “connecting those dots and breaking those common misconceptions by bringing healthcare practitioners into the classroom to talk to students, offer hands-on activities, and explain career pathways.”

Local colleges and health systems help train talent

Education partners like Tulsa Tech and Tulsa Community College are working alongside the city to prepare students for healthcare roles.

At the same time, healthcare systems such as Ascension Saint John and Saint Francis continue to provide job opportunities that allow graduates to stay in the Broken Arrow area.

The path forward

Leaders say their efforts are beginning to pay off. More students are considering healthcare as a viable career, and they’re doing so with the goal of staying close to home.

The Broken Arrow Economic Development Corporation says its commitment to building a local pipeline of healthcare workers will continue as the community works to fill the nursing gap.