What is the role of HSIs in building a diverse nursing workforce? With intentionality and partnership, HSIs can and should train bilingual, bicultural nurses. In this episode Dr. Garcia welcomes Dr. Tina Loarte-Rodriguez, Executive Director of the Connecticut Center for Nursing Workforce and founder/author of Latinas in Nursing. The conversation addresses critical gaps in nursing diversity, noting that only 7-8% of the nation's 5 million nurses identify as Latinx despite Latinxs representing 30% of the population. Dr. Loarte-Rodriguez shares her personal journey from often being the only Latina in nursing settings to creating resources for representation and belonging in healthcare, including her book Latinas in Nursing and the follow-up Latinos in Nursing. She offers strategies for HSIs to increase Latinx representation in nursing through partnerships with state nursing workforce centers and community organizations. We also discuss barriers facing Latinx nursing students, including financial constraints from recent federal loan restrictions that cap graduate borrowing. The episode emphasizes the need for culturally relevant nursing curricula, bilingual training for heritage Spanish speakers, and increased Latina faculty representation in nursing programs.

Guest:

Tina Loarte-Rodriguez (she, her, ella)

Executive Director, Connecticut Center for Nursing Workforce

Author, Founder, & CEO, Latinas in Nursing

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tina-loarte-rodríguez

Website: https://latinasinnursing.org/

APA Citation

Garcia, G. A. (Host). (2026, April 26). Building a Diverse Nursing Workforce: The Role of HSIs (No.708) [Audio podcast episode]. In ¿Qué pasa, HSIs?. https://www.ginaanngarcia.com/podcast/

Show Notes:

• https://www.ctcenterfornursingworkforce.com
• https://latinasinnursing.org/