The Texas A&M College of Nursing recently received recognition from two different organizations naming the college as one of the top nursing schools in the state.

The Texas A&M College of Nursing was ranked the #1 nursing program in Texas by RegisteredNursing.org. The organization evaluates Texas nursing programs based on how well they support students to licensure and beyond, by analyzing current and historical NCLEX-RN pass rates.

In the other recent ranking, Niche.com ranked the College of Nursing the second-best nursing college in Texas for 2017. Niche analyzes each college’s academic, admissions, financial and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education, in addition to reviews from current and former students.

“Receiving recognition from external organizations that evaluate nursing programs helps to shine a light on the dedication and accomplishments of our faculty and students,” said Texas A&M College of Nursing Founding Dean, Sharon A. Wilkerson, PhD, RN, CNE. “As a fairly new college, we are proud of the many milestones achieved thus far and look forward to opening registration for our master’s in Forensic Nursing and to developing doctoral nursing programs in the future.”

Since the College of Nursing was established in 2008, graduates have consistently exceeded the state and national first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates, with a 99 percent pass rate for 2016. Additionally, the college’s inaugural class of family nurse practitioners achieved a 100 percent first-time pass rate in 2017 on the American Academy of Nurse Practitioner national board certification exam. These students scored above the national averages in all areas. The board certification exams are competency-based, valid and reliable assessments of entry-level clinical knowledge and skills of nurse practitioners.

In 2016, the College of Nursing was awarded a four-year designation as a Center of Excellence (COE) by the National League of Nursing in Creating Environments that Enhance Student Learning and Professional Development. The COE designation is in recognition of the college’s outstanding innovations, commitment and sustainability of excellence.

“Our faculty, students and staff are fearless in their pursuit of excellence,” Wilkerson said. “These recent accolades highlight the dedication that will continue to advance our effort to graduate the best-prepared nurses and nurse educators in the state, to help address the critical shortage of nurses and primary care practitioners.”

Prospective students are encouraged to contact a Texas A&M College of Nursing advisor for more information http://nursing.tamhsc.edu/student-affairs/index.html or by visiting http://nursing.tamhsc.edu/future/.

Author Details Diane L. Oswald

— Diane L. Oswald