UT Health Science Center, UTSA partner to bring more nurses into workforce
Celebrating the joint affiliation agreement are (from left) Alan Vince, director of the UTSA Health Professions Office; Eileen T. Breslin, dean of the UTHSCSA School of Nursing; Lawrence Williams, UTSA vice provost and dean of University College; David Byrd, associate dean of admissions and student services, UTHSCSA School of Nursing; and Brandy Finck, director of admissions and student services, UTHSCSA School of Nursing.
Celebrating the joint affiliation agreement are (from left) Alan Vince, director of the UTSA Health Professions Office; Eileen T. Breslin, dean of the UTHSCSA School of Nursing; Lawrence Williams, UTSA vice provost and dean of University College; David Byrd, associate dean of admissions and student services, UTHSCSA School of Nursing; and Brandy Finck, director of admissions and student services, UTHSCSA School of Nursing.
Share this Story(Sept. 9, 2014) -- A new joint agreement between UTSA and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio will make it easier for qualified students to enter nursing school.
The joint agreement for the Early Acceptance -- BSN R.N. program (EARN), announced today, will apply to students beginning their studies at UTSA this fall.
Prospective students will work through the UTSA Health Professions Office to ensure they complete the prerequisites and other requirements within two years. Qualified applicants will then enter the UT Health Science Center's two-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Upon completing the degree, students will then be eligible to take the Registered Nurse certification exam.
"There is a significant shortage of nurses in the U.S. and South Texas. This affiliation will help us have some of the best-qualified applicants from UTSA in our nursing program," said Eileen T. Breslin, Ph.D., RN, FAAN. Breslin is dean of the School of Nursing at the UT Health Science Center and president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, which sets standards for member nursing schools across the country in education, research and practice.
"Establishing the early acceptance BSN program provides an exceptional opportunity for UTSA students to both prepare for admission to the nursing school and make application through a process that gives them priority consideration, said Alan Vince, Ph.D., director of the UTSA Health Professions Office. "The large number of students we see pursuing nursing is driven by the realization that there is a social need to be met as well as a personal one in terms of professional and career development."
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Economic News Release on employment projections from 2012 to 2022, released in December 2013, registered nursing is among the top five occupations in terms of job growth and replacement needs. Due to the pending retirements of many nurses currently in the job force and the increasing need for more nurses to provide care for aging Baby Boomers, the bureau estimates a total of 1.05 million new nurses will be needed by 2022.
The Institute of Medicine's landmark report, "The Future of Nursing," issued in 2010, calls for increasing the number of nurses with BSN degrees from 55 percent to 80 percent, and doubling the number of nurses with doctoral degrees in order meet the increased demands of health care reform and to improve patient care. Other studies have shown that care provided by nurses with bachelor's and graduate degrees have better patient outcomes.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, one of the country's leading health sciences universities, ranks in the top 3 percent of all institutions worldwide receiving National Institutes of Health funding. The university's schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, health professions and graduate biomedical sciences have produced more than 29,000 graduates from eight campuses in San Antonio, Laredo, Harlingen and Edinburg.
The University of Texas at San Antonio is an emerging Tier One research institution specializing in health, energy, security, sustainability, and human and social development. With nearly 29,000 students, it is the largest university in the San Antonio metropolitan region. The university embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property -- for Texas, the nation and the world.
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For more information about the program, contact the UTHSCSA School of Nursing Office of Admissions and Student Services at 210-567-5805.
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Events
This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.
