Nursing at TAMIU this Fall Welcomes Largest Nursing Class
The undergraduate Nursing Program at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) will welcome its largest class this Fall and Spring, with 120 students, a 20% increase over last year. This Fall semester, the Nursing Program begins a two-time admission cycle, with 60 students admitted each semester.
College of Nursing and Health Sciences Dean Dr. Glenda Walker says TAMIU‘s competitive nursing program is among its fastest-growing programs, and offers students distinct learning and experience opportunities and, most importantly, attractive employment opportunities.
“Our program expansion is a direct reflection of the need for nurses in our employment region, so we’ve added faculty to be able to provide students with the best preparation to earn their Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing,” Dr. Walker said.
“We’re happy to be able to expand our offerings to students, providing them with an opportunity to earn the entry-level standard of education for the nursing profession. Our students are remarkable and upon graduation, routinely have multiple job offers,” Walker noted.
Walker said that in addition to an optimal nursing professor to student ratio of 1:10, research and collaborative initiatives and impressive labs, students have other innovative opportunities to immerse themselves in rich and relevant experiences.
“For example, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences has partnered with community health care providers to test select strategies for effectiveness in improving health outcomes among at risk populations in Webb, Jim Hogg, and Zapata County. This project, called Juntos for Better Health, intends to lay the foundation for research collaborations that support the development and application of evidence based practices. It provides students with innovative insight and practical experiences that are uncommon at most nursing schools. It is made possible by Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas and a Social Innovation Fund Grant and aims to improve health outcomes for adults with diabetes, depression, obesity, and hypertension.
“Led by our faculty, our students will help conduct approximately 11,000 free adult health screenings reaching the most disenfranchised and vulnerable in our community, and providing screenings, issue referrals, and connections to a medical home as needed,” she explained.
Other student opportunities focus on research and collaboration.
“Our students collaborate closely with faculty on nursing research and present at regional, state, national and international conferences. In 2015-16, we had students travel to Indianapolis and Puerto Rico to present their research at international conferences,” she noted.
And it’s not just undergraduate nursing students that are out-performing their peers, Walker said.
“Most recently, all members of the Masters in Family Nurse Practitioner passed their certification exams with a 100% pass rate. This measurably boosts the number of mid-level providers to provide health care to the citizens of Laredo and South Texas,” Walker said.
The School of Nursing offers a Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner program (MSN-FNP) and a Master of Science in Nursing Administration (MSN-ADM) focused on the critical role of Nursing in Health Care Management.
Nurses with graduate degrees as a Family Nurse Practitioner are able to assess, diagnose, and manage clients across the lifespan, in collaboration with other health care professionals. Those with the MSN-ADM are focused on the critical role of Nursing in Health Care Management.
Fall Registration is currently underway at TAMIU. Classes start Tuesday, Aug. 22. Visit www.tamiu.edu to register.
For undergraduate nursing program information, please contact Pat Garcia at pat.garcia@tamiu.edu, 956.326.3109.
For graduate program information, please contact Dr. Marivic Torregosa, director of Graduate Programs in Nursing at mtorregosa@tamiu.edu, 956.326.2456.
