BROWNWOOD – August 8, 2024 – The Howard Payne University School of Nursing will receive a $312,000 grant this fall from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to aid in reducing the professional nursing shortage in the state of Texas. The funds will be beneficial in enrolling and retaining nursing students, as well as developing innovative methods for instructional or clinical space and other resources to strengthen the program.
“We are extremely grateful for this grant award,” said Dr. Laci Sutton, dean of the School of Nursing. “We look forward to using these funds to continue to grow the Bachelor of Science in Nursing [BSN] program and increase quality faith-based nursing graduates aimed at reducing the statewide nursing shortage.”
HPU’s BSN was recently recognized for receiving a pass rate of 100 percent on the NCLEX-RN. The nationwide standardized exam assesses nursing knowledge and skills that are required to provide safe and effective patient care. The recognition was for graduates from May 2023 and was confirmed by the Texas Board of Nursing. HPU’s BSN program is one of only six BSN programs in Texas to achieve a 100 percent pass rate on the exam. The HPU BSN program has held national nursing accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education since 2020.
The Nursing Shortage Reduction Program grant was established in 2001 by the 77th Texas Legislature to address the statewide nursing shortage in Texas. Grants are awarded to public and private colleges and universities with qualifying nursing programs.
Admission applications are still being accepted for the fall 2024 semester at Howard Payne University (www.hputx.edu/apply). For more information about HPU’s nursing program, visit www.hputx.edu/nursing.
###
Cutline 1: HPU nursing students will benefit from a $312,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Cutline 2: HPU students engage in a healthcare simulation in the university lab.