Dean Kathy Boswell was bursting with pride at this week's board meeting for the success of our nursing students. From high pass rates to glowing feedback from CEOs, our Alesia Armstrong Wiggs School of Nursing programs are making waves.
“I like nothing more than to brag about my programs,” she said before diving into data on the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Associate Degree Nursing and Licensed Vocational Nursing programs.
The RN-to-BSN program, the college’s pioneering bachelor’s degree, commenced classes in 2020. Despite the initial lower-than-expected enrollment, administrators made strategic adjustments that allowed students meeting certain requirements to enroll in the ADN and BSN programs concurrently. This led to a significant increase in enrollment, with 160 students currently declaring a BSN major.
Boswell also revealed that due to the high demand and lack of classroom space, the college regretfully turned away 89 qualified applicants from the ADN program this fall. Administrators are proactively implementing two additional cohorts to start in Spring 2025, thereby increasing the number of ADN options between the Weatherford and Wise County campuses to nine.
She also bragged about the LVN faculty who presented to more than 700 people during a global webinar on bridging the gap between didactic and clinical judgment while showcasing WC’s state-of-the-art equipment.
“Also, Texas is now embracing LVNs in the hospital setting,” Boswell said. “The program director worked with three local hospitals to develop LVN residency programs for WC graduates, which integrates them into the workforce more strategically.”
WC’s LVN students also graduate with their IV certifications, which sets them apart from students in other programs and makes them highly sought after by employers.
“I want to say how impressed we all are with you and your team and what you do,” Board Chair Dan Carney said. “I hear it every day on the streets about this program, and it’s exciting to hear how well you’re doing. We all appreciate the things that you’re doing.”