Howard College to Offer Nursing Degrees

AUSTIN – The Texas State Board of Nursing unanimously granted approval today for Howard College to establish a generic and an accelerated Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) to Registered Nurse (RN) Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Education Program in San Angelo. 

The first cohort of twenty generic ADN and thirty accelerated LVN to RN students will be admitted in August of 2016, and the first students participating in the accelerated LVN to RN track will graduate in the summer of 2017.

The Board of Nursing staff sited the need for the professional nursing program.  Since August 2013, LVNs and generic students desiring to obtain an ADN no longer had an option to do so in the San Angelo geographical region. 

Validation of the demand and need included a survey of clinical facilities indicating the availability of rich clinical learning experiences to accommodate the Howard College ADN students.

Howard College and City of San Angelo community leaders including Mayor of San Angelo Dwain Morrison and Tom Green County Judge Steve Floyd attended the Texas Board of Nursing in show of support for the program.  These area community and business leaders provided strong backing for the proposed nursing education program. 

Following testimony the Board of Nursing staff’s recommendation of approval included Howard College’s long term history as a community college, commitment to resources, establishment and implementation of this new program.

Funding for the first two years of the program includes financial assistance from the City of San Angelo Development Corporation, the Concho Valley Workforce Development Board, Workforce Commission, Shannon Medical Center, San Angelo Community Medical Center and the Howard College at San Angelo Foundation.

The application deadline for the program is Wednesday, August 10 at 3 p.m.  Students interested in applying need to contact the Howard College Health Professions Office at 325-481-8371 ext. 3435 or Student Services at 325-481-8350.