Courtesy of University Communications

The University of Texas at El Paso School of Nursing has been awarded $100,000 by St. David’s HealthCare of Austin, and the Las Palmas and Del Sol Medical Centers, partners in the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) Inc. to create a new program aimed at reducing nursing shortages.

The grant will create an innovative 15-week program officially known as the HCA Central/West Texas-UTEP Bridge Program for Mexico Nurses to Increase Diversity. The program will give degreed and licensed Mexican nurses an opportunity to prepare to pass the Texas Nurses Certification and Licensing Exam, the national exam to become a registered nurse.

Mexican nurses participating in the program are required to commit to 40 hours a week of courses on English proficiency, reviewing nursing concepts, clinical simulation training and test-taking skills.

Media will be able to learn more about the program and interview students at noon, today, Thursday, March 6, at the College of Health Sciences and School of Nursing building, Fountain Room, 1101 N. Campbell.

During the event, UTEP School of Nursing Dean Robert L. Anders will sign a memorandum of agreement with Del Sol Medical Center CEO Jacob Cintron and Las Palmas Medical Center CEO Hank Hernandez. Del Sol Medical Center and Las Medical Center are managed by the Hospital Corporation of America Inc.

For more information about UTEP’s School of Nursing, visit www.utep.edu/nursing. For more information about HCA, visit www.hcahealthcare.com/.