The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing has received a $25,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for exceptional performance in graduating students prepared to become licensed registered nurses.
The School of Nursing was among three schools in Texas out of nine eligible schools that competed in presenting evidence to demonstrate a best practice in retaining and graduating students. To be eligible, schools had to have a graduation rate and a registered nurse licensure pass rate of at least 85 percent for 2009. There are 97 schools of nursing in the state.
The School of Nursing had a 97.8 percent graduation rate in 2009, the highest in Texas. Texas AandM University-Corpus Christi and the University of Texas at Arlington also were honored with grants.
“The School of Nursing is committed to the success of each student admitted,” said Dr. Gayle Timmerman, assistant dean. “We work very hard to provide students with the support they need to graduate and become the nurse leaders of the future. We are delighted to receive this award recognizing our efforts to ensure that the precious resource of student nurses do, indeed, become the much needed nurses of tomorrow.”
The awards are part of the Nursing Education Performance Initiative, a program established in compliance with a bill passed by the Texas Legislature to relieve the state’s current and predicted nursing shortage. The schools will use the grant funds to develop detailed business plans for their best practices so other schools may replicate them.
The best practice for the School of Nursing was the use of Learning Enhancement Services to provide academic support to ensure the success of all its students. The program provides individual academic counseling, peer tutoring, and study skills and writing workshops. The most frequently used services are tutor referrals, time management, stress reduction and test-taking skills.
