For many rural communities across the Texas Panhandle, finding healthcare providers isn't always easy. West Texas A&M University hopes two new nursing programs will help change that.
The university has opened enrollment for its new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, the first of its kind in the Panhandle and WT's third doctoral degree. At the same time, the university has launched its first Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP) Certificate program, which is only the second program of its kind in Texas.
Both programs are aimed at preparing more highly trained nurses to serve rural communities, where nurse practitioners are often the first—and sometimes only—medical provider patients see.
"We're responding to workforce shortages and expanding access to care by preparing nurses and nurse practitioners to meet the growing needs of our region," said Dr. Holly Jeffreys, dean of WT's College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
The new Doctor of Nursing Practice program isn't limited to nurse practitioners. It's designed for nurses looking to advance into leadership, education or administrative roles while improving patient care and healthcare systems.
Students will complete hands-on, practice-based projects focused on solving healthcare challenges facing underserved communities across the Panhandle and beyond.
"The Doctoral program is for anybody. They don't have to be a nurse practitioner, they can be an educator, they can just be someone in leadership or administration at the hospital, but someone who really wants to take that nursing care to the next level and be an expert in their chosen field of nursing," Jeffreys said.
The Emergency Nurse Practitioner Certificate program takes a different approach, focusing on family nurse practitioners who want advanced emergency and urgent care training.
Students will receive instruction in trauma care, disaster preparedness, EMS operations and advanced emergency procedures before becoming eligible to take the national Emergency Nurse Practitioner certification exam.
Joe Kitchens, coordinator of the emergency nurse practitioner program, said the specialized training is especially important for rural hospitals, where nurse practitioners may have to make critical decisions without a physician on site.
"When they graduate this program, they will be more prepared to work in the emergency setting. A lot of the rural facilities are nurse practitioner only. And some of those are trained as family nurse practitioners where they don't have that skill set that they're going to learn in this class," Kitchens said. "This class will prepare them to go out into the region and work in the emergency rooms by themselves without a physician."
Enrollment is already underway for the first DNP class, which begins this fall. Applicants must have bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing from regionally accredited institutions and a minimum 3.0 GPA. The two-year program includes faculty mentorship, hands-on learning and projects focused on improving healthcare in rural communities. Scholarships are available.
The 15-credit-hour hybrid Emergency Nurse Practitioner Certificate program accepts students in both the fall and spring semesters. Applicants must be certified Family Nurse Practitioners with at least two years of experience, maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA, and hold current Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support certifications. Advanced Trauma Life Support certification is preferred but not required. Scholarships also are available for the program.
University leaders say the expansion is part of a broader effort to address healthcare workforce shortages across rural Texas.
Both programs received a significant boost earlier this year through a $5 million gift from the High Plains Christian Ministries Foundation. The funding will support scholarships, faculty positions and expanded healthcare education, helping train more advanced practice nurses for communities that continue to face shortages of healthcare providers.
