School of Nursing is āMature at 30ā
The school commemorated this occasion with cakes on each campus.
The School of Nursing celebrated its 30th anniversary this month with the theme, āMature at 30.ā The school is known for innovation in nursing education, excellent student retention and graduation rates and producing well-prepared nurses ready for licensure and certification exams.
āDuring this time when Texas and the nation are facing a critical nursing shortage, it is beneficial that the School of Nursing bolsters the stateās nursing workforce by producing more than 1,000 nurses each year,ā said President
Between 2005 and 2020, demand for registered nurses is expected to increase by 86 percent and supply only 53 percent. West Texas is particularly vulnerable to this shortage of nursing professionals because of its rural demographics.
The first students were admitted to the program in Lubbock in 1981. The School of Nursing is the only nursing school on the South Plains that provides baccalaureate, masters and doctoral education.
The newest programs available through the School of Nursing are the only Doctor of Nursing Practice program for nurse practitioners and administrators in West Texas, and the Web-based, accelerated Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing program for students with previous college degrees. The school also operates the , a primary health clinic for underserved Lubbock residents.
āThe School of Nursing was developed based on a cutting-edge model by our Founding Dean, Teddy Langford Jones,ā said , interim dean of the School of Nursing. āThe students, faculty and staff have maintained and lived up to the innovative focus of the schoolās foundation.
Masten added, āAt 30 years of age, the School of Nursing is well-established and able to take advantage of the abundant opportunities available. Therefore, the future is very bright, indeed.ā