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APIN Grant Project: Texas

Program Goal

The purpose of the APIN-2 Grant Proposal, Consortium to Advance Baccalaureate Nursing Education (CABNET) in Texas:  Continuation of a Statewide Model is to produce an increasing number of Texas RN to BSN graduates in 2014-2016.  Two approaches will be used to accomplish this purpose: 1) expansion of the use of the CABNET process by associate degree and RN to BSN programs and 2) implementation of a state-wide, optional concept based curriculum.

The proposed outcome of the Texas Team Action Coalition APIN-2 Grant is to increase the number of Texas nurses graduating from RN-to-BSN programs from 3,093 in 2014 to 6,687 in 2016, more than doubling the number of RN-to-BSN graduates over the two year period. The percentage of RNs who have BSN or higher degrees will increase from 52.1% in 2014 to 55% in 2016. 

 

2012-2013

2013-2014

2014-2015

2015-2016

No. of Texas RN-to-BSN Graduates

3093

2902*

3085*

3513**

 

  2012 2013 2014 2015

Total Enrollment in Post-Licensure

7,521 8,642 5,474* 6,770

*Between 2013 and 2014, the survey methodology changed. In previous years it was not made clear for RN to BSN programs, especially online programs, to only include Texas residents, which explains the decrease in applications, admissions and graduations.

Enrollments increased by 23.6% from 2014 to 2016.

 

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

% Texas RNs with BSN or higher

50.7%

51.2%

53.8%

55.5%

57.5%

Although we did not meet the first goal of 6687 nurses graduating RN-to-BSN programs due to the change in data reporting, we did surpass the goal of 55% BSNs by 2016 by 2.5%.

Objective 1: Increase the number of CABNET agreements between community colleges and universities to 80 from the current 33.

Presented, adapted strategies, and tailored contracts for the Consortium for Advancing Baccalaureate Nursing Education in Texas. After shortening the agreement to remove problematic verbiage, the entire CABNET process was streamlined. Community colleges now sign the agreement and subsequently pass the agreement on to multiple universities for final signatures. The CABNET process was presented and canvassed at the Texas Association of Deans & Directors for Professional Nursing Programs in 2014, 2015 and 2016 fall and spring meetings.  The grant hoped for 80 CABNET agreements. To date, 12 universities and 24 community colleges have signed agreements, for a total of 135 total agreements in place across Texas! See Table No.3 

One success in the CABNET program to highlight is Stephen F. Austin University. After four years SFA was able to persuade their Board of Regents to change the residency requirement for nursing students only from 42 to 30 credit hours. This enables them to be competitive in the nursing college market with an obvious added value to the student.

Objective 2:   Increase the number of Texas associate degree nursing programs that implement the concept-based curriculum from 7 to 12 and those that implement the RN to BSN CBC programs from 0 to 3.

  • Promoted the Concept-Based curriculum via an article written and published in Texas Nursing Voice (Vol 9 | Num 3), “A Case for Concept-Based Nursing Education.”
  • Shared CBC with forty-seven universities. Received 1000 views of various modules through the Trinity Valley Community College secure online portal.

 

Mentoring and preceptorship: RN-BSN Briefing Paper (attached) and Scholarships: http://texasapin.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Scholarships.pdf

Practice partner strategies: RN-to-BSN Programs for practice partners to guide their staff: http://texasapin.org/students/find-a-rn-to-bsn-program/

Faculty development: Resources at http://texasapin.org/resources/

CABNET agreements: http://texasapin.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/CABNET-Agreement-2015.pdf

CABNET FAQs: http://texasapin.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/FAQs-About-CABNET.pdf

CABNET Matrix: http://texasapin.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/CABNET-MATRIX-1.pdf

Texas Concept Based Curriculum for RN-to-BSN and RN-to-MSN programs (17 courses available): http://texasapin.org/faculty/concept-based-curriculum/

Nursing Supply and Demand Projections, Nursing Workforce Reports, Nursing Education Reports, and more: http://www.dshs.texas.gov/chs/cnws/Npublica.shtm  and  http://www.bne.state.tx.us/education_Texas_workforceData.asp