FACILITATING DEGREE ATTAINMENT

With around a quarter of the state’s population living in rural communities, CONHI’s Accelerated Online (AO) Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program aims to provide baccalaureate-level nursing experiences for students in local clinical settings. By partnering with rural facilities, students can complete the majority of their degree requirements while remaining in the geographic region in which they live.

“We hope this initiative will assist hospitals in rural areas by providing a pathway for education of their current staff wishing to pursue a BSN or graduate degree,” says Pam White, AO BSN program manager. “We also hope to develop a pipeline for recruitment of other non-employee individuals as they come through our programs.

”There are currently three clinical sites participating in the initiative: Childress, Gatesville-Coryell Health, and Lampasas–AdventHealth Rollins Brook. This fall, Hill Country Memorial Hospital will join as a partner, followed by Val Verde Medical Center and Graham Regional Medical Center in spring 2023. The plan is for each site to host eight to 16 AO BSN students per year, providing them with the opportunity to meet the majority of their clinical requirements without having to travel to a more metropolitan area.

White shares that the student response has been overwhelmingly positive, as students cite lower stress levels during clinicals as well as positive interactions with the nursing staff.

“By offering students this option, it’s also hopefully allowing rural hospitals to attract more nurses after they graduate,” she says. “Rural health nursing is important, and by expanding into these areas, we are trying to provide nursing resources and new nurses to help the nursing shortage.”

1991-95

The Rural Health Outreach Program contributed to the development of a grant from the Office of Rural Health Policy for a nurse-managed clinic in northern Bosque County to provide direct care to medically underserved populations.

The Bachelor of Science in exercise science degree launched.