Program Mission, Vision, and Philosophy

OUR MISSION

The Department of Nursing supports the mission of TSTC by contributing to the educational and economic development of the State of Texas and by offering an Associate of Degree in Applied Science in Nursing that prepares competent graduate nurses to meet the nursing care needs of a culturally diverse society in Texas and abroad. The Program contributes to the educational and economic development of the State of Texas and is committed to excellence in nursing education by providing a supportive, compassionate, and caring environment to facilitate professional and personal growth and lifelong learning. This program establishes and validates nursing competency through a layered approach to scholarship, critical thinking, evidence-based practice, patient centered care, and effective communication as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team. 

OUR VISION

Our singular aim is to graduate safe, competent and compassionate nurses who will begin developing their own nursing practice as a thinking, confident professional, prepared to meet the healthcare needs of our culturally diverse society. 

OUR PHILOSOPHY

We believe that nursing is a profession of serving others. Through the use of the nursing process, problems are identified; a course of action is planned, implemented, and evaluated in accordance with the patient’s physical, spiritual, emotional, social, and intellectual needs throughout the life cycle. Knowing and applying this problem-solving process is critical to providing quality, caring, and holistic patient care. 

We believe a quality nursing education is a continuous process of developing individuals to their fullest potential based on their individual physical, social and mental abilities; including layered, experiential learning that best prepares new nurses for gainful employment in the caring professions. Education must be dynamic to answer society’s changing demands to benefit the student, the consumer, and the community. To that end, we believe there are no shortcuts to a thorough nursing education that optimally begins at the Certified Nursing Assistant (certificate level 1) level, progresses to the Vocational Nursing (certificate level 2) level and leads to the first step of professional nursing education (the Associate of Applied Science Degree). We feel this telescoping educational pathway in the Professional Nurse’s education best prepares nurses for safe practice by providing the highest number of clinical one-to-one training and supervision with experienced Registered Nurses / faculty in various healthcare environments. We provide education utilizing Hybrid learning with online courses, hands on demonstration of skills, and virtual and/or in person clinical experiences to provide this well-rounded education. 

We believe that registered nursing prepares individuals for gainful employment and licensure in registered nursing practice, regardless of ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, and/or socioeconomic status. The nursing education faculty build on a foundation of basic education, teach an art and science which recognizes the need for nurses prepared to function effectively in a changing health care delivery system. 

Nursing education encompasses theoretical principles that should allow for continued mobility and growth in the field of nursing. We believe through the implementation of these components, the primary goal of nursing, to protect and serve the public, can be accomplished. We believe the technical college is an appropriate setting for preparing our nursing students for initial licensure in professional nursing as Member of a Profession, Provider of Patient-Centered Care, Patient Safety Advocate, and Member of the Health Care Team.