The final statement of the nurses’ Florence Nightingale Pledge says, “With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.” At San Jacinto College, training nursing students to not only recite the Nightingale Pledge as they graduate, but to also practice what they pledge, has led to a tradition of excellence in nursing training.

The College offers a wide range of nurse training options to help meet the continued high demand for well trained nurses in the Houston area. The Central Campus offers Associate Degree Nursing (ADN), a five-semester program that qualifies graduates to take the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses. The Central Campus also offers a three-semester Licensed Vocational Nurse/Paramedic to RN Transition program for students who are LVNs or licensed paramedics.

The North Campus recently launched an Associate Degree Nursing program as an extension of the existing Central Campus ADN program. The North Campus continues to offer a three-semester Vocational Nursing (VN) program in addition to the ADN program. Registered Nurses (graduates of the ADN program) receive more advanced training and typically can qualify for higher skilled nursing positions that generally offer greater earning capacity.

The South Campus offers a three-semester LVN program, and a three-semester LVN/Paramedic to ADN Mobility program for students who are LVNs or licensed paramedics.

Rhonda Bell, North Campus health science department chair, says the community benefits by San Jacinto College offering training options for people who want to become either Vocational Nurses or Registered Nurses. “Our LVN programs are one-year programs leading to technical certificates,” Bell explained. “Many choose the LVN route due to family obligations, or perhaps because they want quick earning power, or perhaps as a way of finding out if nursing is the right choice for a career path. The ADN program, on the other hand, is a five-semester associate degree program that leads to RN positions for those typically who want to advance in the nursing profession.”

Registered nurses can obtain positions in acute care settings, long-term acute care settings, rehabilitation care settings, clinics (private and community), schools, and many other medical care environments. “The pay for RNs is generally higher, due to the autonomous role of an RN and increased educational preparedness,” Bell commented.

There is a critical need for nurses in the greater Houston area. According to a recent report from nursingjobs.org, “Houston is struggling with an ongoing nursing shortage of 4,000 to 5,000 full-time Registered Nursing positions.” A recent report from the Texas Board of Nursing stated that approximately 5,000 hospital beds will be added to the Houston market in the near future.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average hourly pay for Registered Nurses is $31.48, and the average annual salary is $65,470. The average hourly pay for Vocational Nurses is $19.97, and the average annual salary is $41,540.

San Jacinto College nursing student David Williams changed his career path out of a desire to help others. “I had a good-paying job as an insurance claim adjuster, but I have come to realize there is more to a job than a paycheck,” he commented. “I have always wanted to help people, and have had an interest in the medical field since childhood. Then, when both of my parents became ill with cancer, I saw from personal experience just how important nursing care can be.”

As Williams was about to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Houston, he changed directions and began pursuing something he really wanted, a medical career. “It’s a career where I feel I can make a difference,” he remarked. “When you help a person to regain health, there are rewards that money cannot buy.”

Graduates of the San Jacinto College nursing program have two options to continue their education through partnerships with the University of Houston-Clear Lake and Western Governor’s University. Both institutions offer a pathway to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

Rob Vanya