Feature Story

Nursing is the largest health care occupation in the nation and it is projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to be the fastest growing occupation over the next five years. Texas alone will need up to 138,000 Licensed Practical Nurses, Registered Nurses (RNs), and Nurses Aides within the next seven to ten years. The College of Nursing at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), a member of The Texas A&M University
System, has served the citizens of Texas through nursing education since 1918. To meet the ever-increasing demand for nurses, the College offers two undergraduate programs and a graduate program. The baccalaureate program is designed to meet not only the needs of students who are beginning their education in nursing, but also to provide an opportunity for RNs who have an associate degree to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. The master's program was added in 1999 to produce family nurse practitioners who are willing to work in underserved and rural communities.

Filling the demand for nurses takes dedicated students. It also takes top rated facilities to provide students with the latest technology. Thirty million dollars of Permanent University Fund bond proceeds will finance the construction of a new building over the next three years for PVAMU College of Nursing at its present location in the Texas Medical Center. A state-of-the-art human simulation laboratory will be installed to provide students with the latest technology. Students at PVAMU College of Nursing complete two-and-a-half years of study at the PVAMU College of Nursing's facilities at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, after the students first complete two years of study at the main campus at Prairie View or other institutions. The location of the PVAMU College of Nursing within the Texas Medical Center facilitates students' immediate access to some of the most diverse and advanced health care facilities in the world.

Nurses are advocates and health educators for patients, families, and communities. They work to promote health, prevent disease, and help patients cope with illness. At the advanced level, nurse practitioners provide basic primary healthcare, diagnose and treat common acute illnesses and injuries, and even prescribe medications. This is just a small part of the nursing profession's countless responsibilities.

Shouldering these responsibilities are graduates of PVAMU College of Nursing who make a positive difference in the delivery of health care throughout the state and nation. Thanks to PUF allocations, PVAMU College of Nursing will continue to meet the public's demand for a progressive, relevant program that produces high-quality graduates.