College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Upon completion of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Texas A&M International University, students will have completed essential marketable skills developed by the Texas Board of Nursing (below). In addition, graduates qualify to take the NCLEX-RN; the national exam that every nursing program graduate in the United States must take to become a registered nurse.

Licensure is state specific; however, nurses licensed in Texas and 24 other states have a compact license that allows them to provide care to patients, without having to obtain additional licensure. In non-compact states, the nurse would not need to re-test but rather apply for endorsement from that state's board of nursing.

Marketable Skills of Graduates in Texas

Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Education Programs

1. Member of the profession:

   1. Function within the nurse's legal scope of practice and in accordance with the policies and procedures of the employing health care institution or practice setting.
   2.  Assume responsibility and accountability for the quality of nursing care provided to patients, families, populations and communities.
   3. Promote the practice of professional nursing through leadership activities and advocacy.
   4. Demonstrate responsibility for continued competence in nursing practice, and develop insight through reflection, self-analysis, self-care and lifelong learning.

2. Provider of Patient-Centered Care:

   1. Use clinical reasoning and knowledge based on the baccalaureate degree nursing program of study, evidence-based practice outcomes, and research studies as the basis for decision-making and comprehensive patient care.
   2. Determine the physical and mental health status, needs and preferences of culturally, ethnically and socially diverse patients, families, populations and communities based upon interpretation of comprehensive health assessment findings compared with evidence-based health data and a synthesis of knowledge derived from a baccalaureate degree nursing program of study.
   3. Synthesize comprehensive assessment data to identify problems, formulate goals/outcomes, and develop plans of care for patients, families, populations and communities using information from evidence-based practice and published research in collaboration with the above groups and the interdisciplinary health care team.
   4. Provide safe, compassionate, comprehensive nursing care to patients, families, populations and communities through a broad array of health care services.
   5. implement the plan of care for patients, families, populations and communities within legal, ethical and and regulatory parameters and in consideration of disease prevention, wellness, and promotion of health lifestyles.
   6. Evaluate and report patient, family, population and community outcomes and responses to therapeutic interventions in comparison to benchmarks from evidence-based practice and research findings, and plan follow-up nursing care.
   7. Develop, implement, and evaluate teaching plans for patients, families, populations, and communities to address health promotion, maintenance, restoration, and population risk reduction.
   8. Coordinate human, information, and materiel management resources in providing care for patients, families, populations, and communities.

3. Patient Safety Advocate:

   1. Demonstrate knowledge of the Texas Nursing Practice Act (NPA) and the Texas Board of Nursing Rules that emphasize safety, as well as all federal, state, and local government and accreditation organization safety requirements and standards.
   2.  Implement measures to promote quality and a safe environment for patients, self and others.
   3. Formulate goals and outcomes using an evidence-based and theoretical analysis of available data to reduce patient and community risks.
   4. Obtain instruction, supervision, or training as needed when implementing nursing procedures or practices.
   5. Comply with mandatory reporting requirements of the Texas NPA.
   6. Accept and make assignments and delegate tasks that take into consideration patient safety and organizational policy.

4. Member of the Health Care Team:

   1. Coordinate, collaborate, and communicate with patients, families, populations, communities and the interdisciplinary health care team to plan, deliver, and evaluate care.
   2. Serve as a health care advocate in monitoring and promoting quality and access to health care for patients, families, populations, and communities.
   3. Use multiple referral resources for patients, families, populations, and communities considering cost, confidentiality, effectiveness and efficiency of care, continuity and continuum of care, and health promotion, maintenance, and restoration.
   4. Communicate and collaborate in a timely manner with members of the interdisciplinary health care team to promote and maintain the optimal health status of patients, families, populations, and communities.
   5. Communicate and manage information using technology to support decision-making to improve patient care and delivery systems.
   6. Assign and/or delegate nursing care to other members of the health care team based upon analysis of patient or organizational need.
   7. Supervise nursing care provided by others for whom the nurse is responsible by using best practices of management, leadership and evaluation.