Austin Community College Nursing Program Among Nation's Best

AUSTIN, TX — Austin Community College’s Nursing Program has been recognized as one of the best Registered Nursing programs in Texas by NursingProcess.org — a leading online source for nursing education and career information — officials said on Wednesday.

The site analyzed 134 institutions and ranked ACC’s program seventh in the state. The college — acknowledged in part for its traditional and mobility track options — is the only institution in Central Texas recognized in the top ten.

“The mobility track can be pursued by licensed LPNs and some specific health care professionals. The program is a combination of on-campus and online classes, lab exercises, and extensive clinical experiences,” researchers wrote. “The RN coursework mainly centers on core nursing courses such as foundation of nursing practice, concepts of adult health & mental health, nursing care of the childbearing woman & family, and leadership & management in nursing.”

The full ranking is available online. Scores were based on several factors, including:

• Academic quality.
• Graduation rate.
• NCLEX-RN first time pass rates.
• Affordability.

“The hard reality is that Central Texas will be facing a nursing shortage in the near future," . It is our responsibility to the community to not only keep up with the rising demand but make sure our Registered Nurses receive the high level of education patients need,” Pat Recek, the school system's dean of Health Sciences, said in a prepared statement. “A strong, knowledgeable healthcare workforce benefits the entire community.”

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Demand for RNs is projected to grow by 25 percent by 2026 — 10 percent higher than the national average — according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, officials noted. The agency projects Texas will need more than 50,000 additional RNs to meet health care needs.

Austin Community College remains the No. 1 choice for nurses in Central Texas. Pass rates for students taking national licensure exams average more than 92 percent and consistently exceed state and national averages. BLS finds Central Texas RNs earn an average salary of more than $70,000 per year.

“Nursing has so many different avenues I can pursue," Gina Pomroy, a nursing student at Austin Community Colleges, said in a prepared statement. "I don't think I'll ever get bored. I'm an older student, so going back to college was scary for a lot of reasons. At some point, you just have to take the leap to pursue the life that you want. I've had some incredible professors through this process that have been very supportive, and pushed me when I needed to be pushed.”

The school's Nursing Program also provides a path for a licensed vocational nurse (LVN), which was recently named among the Top 5 in Texas by NursingProcess.org, officials noted.

Students with their registered nurse (RN) degree may now pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing through the school's RN-to-BSN Program. For more information, visit the Nursing Program webpage.

About Austin Community College

Austin Community College is a nationally recognized two-year college serving Central Texas. ACC is focused on student success and providing affordable, flexible pathways to help students reach their education goals, learn new job skills, or advance their career. The college currently enrolls more than 70,000 students annually.