TCH Scholarship Program Helps Retain Critical-Care Nurses

Texas Children's Hospital's pediatric critical-care nurses can further their professional nursing careers while remaining employed with the hospital, thanks to a new pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) scholarship program.

Through this program, Texas Children's critical-care nurses pursue their PNP degree through a collaborative master's program between The University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center and Texas Woman's University schools of nursing. While pursuing their degrees, they also work part time at Texas Children's Hospital.

Texas Children's provides nurses in the program with tuition, books and a monthly stipend. When nurses have completed their studies, they work full time as pediatric nurse practitioners in Texas Children's pediatric critical care areas - including the pediatric intensive care unit, the progressive care unit and the acute care units - for a minimum of two years.

"The PNP program benefits everyone," says Shannon Stone McCord, pediatric nurse practitioner at Texas Children's. "Texas Children's nurses have the opportunity to further their education and nursing while still working part time - which means they are provided with financial support and time to study. Simultaneously, Texas Children's retains nurses who are committed to caring for critically ill children and have the specialized skills needed to work in these areas."

Texas Children's awarded the scholarship to six nurses in 1999. To qualify for the scholarship program, candidates must be licensed registered nurses and have a bachelor of science degree in nursing. In addition, they are required to have at least two years of experience working in Texas Children's special-care areas.

The PNP scholarship program is the result of collaborative efforts between Texas Children's Hospital, The University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center School of Nursing, Texas Woman's University School of Nursing and Baylor College of Medicine.

Modeled after a scholarship program developed by Texas Children's neonatal nurse practitioner services, the PNP scholarship program will help keep the pediatric critical-care areas fully staffed as Texas Children's embarks on the largest expansion project in the history of the Texas Medical Center.

"The health-care field is experiencing a tremendous demand for nurses," says Dana Nicholson, director of nursing for Texas Children's special-care areas. "This program is a wonderful opportunity for us to retain our nursing staff while recognizing and rewarding their clinical expertise."

According to Nicholson, one-half of Texas Children's newly expanded progressive care unit will be staffed by pediatric nurse practitioners. Other areas of responsibility for PNPs working in the pediatric critical-care areas include critical-care transport, clinical research and publication and quality improvement activities.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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