Last updated on June 17, 2024
Dallas College officially launched its Bachelor of Science in Nursing on Thursday, June 13. The historic moment was celebrated at an open house event at the Brookhaven Campus, attended by many including Chancellor Justin Lonon and Board of Trustees members Dr. Catalina Garcia and Paul Mayer.
The program’s first class of students started the fully online program in early June. Students on the 12-month fast-track program will graduate next summer.
It’s a rewarding time for all involved with the college, especially those who played an integral role in getting the program off the ground.
“This process has been a journey and it’s great to see it finally come to fruition,” said Dr. Chiquesha Davis, the academic chair of the RN-BSN Nursing Program. “It really is a historical moment, not only for Dallas College but the entire community. Now, our nursing students in the associate program don’t need to go and look at another college or university to get their bachelor’s degree. They can stay with us and get a very affordable and value-based bachelor’s degree.”
The bachelor’s degree in nursing is the second bachelor’s offering at Dallas College, joining the bachelor’s in early childhood education that produced its first graduating class in May 2023. The college continues to establish itself as a leader in higher education with these innovative and much-needed programs that will help bridge expected employment gaps in their respective fields.
Inside the Program
Dallas College remains committed to providing educational opportunities for today’s busy student. That’s why the Nursing bachelor’s program is offered in a fully online format, allowing students to complete their classwork from wherever is most convenient for them. Additionally, there are full-time and part-time tracks so students can manage their load however suits them best.
The full-time track takes one year to complete, while the part-time track takes two years. Courses are structured in eight-week sessions.
“Our program is very unique,” Davis said. “We have a lot of things that set us apart.”
Along with the overall structure, Davis said the program puts an emphasis on being community-driven, aligning with the college’s overall mission to transform lives and communities through higher education.
The program’s capstone course is focused on leadership and management where students will be paired with a bachelor’s-credentialed nurse in the industry. This will provide a real-world, experiential learning opportunity to equip students for their future endeavors.
Finally, Davis is proud that the program will be offering a course in which students can become Spanish certified medical interpreters. There is a growing need for nurses who are bilingual in Spanish, and this certification will further separate Dallas College graduates from others entering the workforce.
“This is coming from our advisory committee that includes some high-pillar organizations in our community like Parkland Health and Methodist Health System. They’re telling us it’s a huge need,” Davis said. “This course will really help set us and our students apart.”
Nursing’s Impact
Nursing remains the most trusted profession, according to Gallup Poll’s annual Most Honest and Ethical Professions Poll. However, only 65.2% of registered nurses are prepared at the bachelor’s or graduate degree level, according to the latest workforce survey conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
That’s why this bachelor’s degree in nursing is so important and critical to the community at large.
As Davis, who is a trained nurse herself, put it: “Nurses are the backbone of our health care system. We’re right there with patients in their most vulnerable moments. We play a critical role in delivering patient care and also promoting health care outcomes.”
For prospective students, Davis points to the wide variety of jobs available within the nursing field. If someone desires an adrenaline rush, they could look into becoming a flight nurse or working in the emergency room at a hospital. Other options include going to rural communities to serve those populations where medical services are difficult to find. Or, maybe working at a specialized clinic or at a school is the path. At the end of the day, the possibilities are endless.
“For any student who is looking to come into the nursing domain, they have to have empathy, and they have to be sympathetic,” Davis said. “And really investing in their education is critical. Here at Dallas College, we do that. We invest in their education and their training as a nurse. We are bringing forward competent and compassionate nurses who can address all the health care needs in Texas.”
