2008 Woodie Awards
St. Philip's nursing program in need of resuscitation
By Joyce Flores
Issue date: 9/14/07 Section: News
Originally published: 9/13/07 at 6:46 PM CSTLast update: 9/13/07 at 6:46 PM CST
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Nursing students at St. Philip's College received alarming news in July. The Texas Board of Nursing Examiners has put the ADN mobility (associate degree in nursing) program on conditional status.
College President Adena Loston sent a letter to students July 24 informing them that the program was moved from full approval to conditional status because of poor scores on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses exam.
In a news conference July 27, Loston said a score of 80 percent passage rate or higher is required by the board. The program is now at a 71 percent passage rate.
In a letter Feb. 21 letter to program director Clara Wallace, the Board of Nursing Examiners changes the ADN mobility program approval status "from full with warning to conditional." Under conditional status, the program may not admit any new students.
The letter also states that conditional approval status is given until Sept. 30, the end of the 2007 examination year. The letter adds, "and when the program demonstrates a pass rate for first-time test takers of at least 80 percent on the NCLEX-RN examination."
Loston, who began as president of St. Philip's College March 1, said she was not aware of the severity until June. She said she had been informed about the problems facing the program in March but was not told the seriousness of the issue.
"It is unacceptable that such sanctions could have arisen about any academic program at any of the Alamo Community Colleges without questions not only being properly addressed but also communicated promptly to the college president," said Dr. Bruce Leslie, district chancellor.
A chancellor's directive was sent out July 20 stating, "effective immediately all correspondence from external agencies, including the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and other accrediting and licensing agencies will be provided to the chancellor, appropriate vice chancellor and appropriate college president.
College President Adena Loston sent a letter to students July 24 informing them that the program was moved from full approval to conditional status because of poor scores on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses exam.
In a news conference July 27, Loston said a score of 80 percent passage rate or higher is required by the board. The program is now at a 71 percent passage rate.
In a letter Feb. 21 letter to program director Clara Wallace, the Board of Nursing Examiners changes the ADN mobility program approval status "from full with warning to conditional." Under conditional status, the program may not admit any new students.
The letter also states that conditional approval status is given until Sept. 30, the end of the 2007 examination year. The letter adds, "and when the program demonstrates a pass rate for first-time test takers of at least 80 percent on the NCLEX-RN examination."
Loston, who began as president of St. Philip's College March 1, said she was not aware of the severity until June. She said she had been informed about the problems facing the program in March but was not told the seriousness of the issue.
"It is unacceptable that such sanctions could have arisen about any academic program at any of the Alamo Community Colleges without questions not only being properly addressed but also communicated promptly to the college president," said Dr. Bruce Leslie, district chancellor.
A chancellor's directive was sent out July 20 stating, "effective immediately all correspondence from external agencies, including the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and other accrediting and licensing agencies will be provided to the chancellor, appropriate vice chancellor and appropriate college president.
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Glenn Johnson
posted 9/17/07 @ 1:38 PM CST
Here�s hoping that President Adena Loston will see the wisdom of affiliating the Nursing Program of St. Philip's College with the College of Nursing at Prairie View A&M University. (Continued…)
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