Texas A&M University-Texarkana will host an open house for pre-nursing students on Thursday, April 20, at 3 p.m. in the Science and Technology building on the A&M-Texarkana campus, 7101 University Ave., Texarkana, Texas.
Jenni Hedrick, Nursing Skills and Simulation Lab coordinator at A&M-Texarkana, said faculty and staff in the nursing program will share tips and strategies for success as a pre-nursing student at A&M-Texarkana.
The event is open to the public.
A&M-Texarkana is launching a new traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing program this year, which includes 61 credit hours in prerequisite and core coursework and 59 credit hours in nursing courses.
Clinical courses will utilize state-of-the-art high-fidelity simulation and skills practice in the laboratory. Students will be placed in local hospitals and other healthcare agencies in the region for direct patient care experience.
“We are thrilled to offer this new program that will complement our existing RN to BSN transfer degree and Master of Science in Nursing program and provide an additional option for students who desire careers in healthcare“ said Dr. Kathy Missildine, associate dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and director of nursing at A&M-Texarkana.
A&M-Texarkana has admitted its first cohort of students for the new program. An additional 35 students will be admitted the second year of the program, and another 40 students will be admitted the third year.
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, “Research has shown that lower mortality rates, fewer medication errors, and positive outcomes are all linked to nurses prepared at the baccalaureate and graduate degree levels.”
The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies has recommended increasing the proportion of nurses with a bachelor’s degree to 80 percent by the year 2020.
The university has received $1.8 million in state funding to expand its Nursing Department to meet the needs of students and the regional medical community. The university also broke ground recently for a new academic complex that will include space for classrooms, a skills and simulation lab, and faculty offices for the new program. The new Building for Academic and Student Services is expected to open in 2019.
“A&M-Texarkana is dedicated to providing outstanding opportunities for students pursuing careers in healthcare fields and for the medical community in our region,” said Dr. David Reavis, interim dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. “The traditional BSN degree gives students the benefit of high-quality instruction in a supportive and enriching learning environment.”
For an application packet for the traditional BSN program, visit http://tamut.edu/traditional-bsn.
For more information, contact the A&M-Texarkana Nursing Department at (903) 334-6649, Nursing@tamut.edu or visit the campus at 7101 University Ave., Texarkana, Texas.
