{"id":12309,"date":"2026-03-04T10:10:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T10:10:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/?p=12309"},"modified":"2026-03-19T19:08:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T19:08:37","slug":"practice-ready-from-day-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/practice-ready-from-day-one\/","title":{"rendered":"Practice-ready from day one: Preparing nursing students to fill a hiring demand"},"content":{"rendered":"

With academic excellence, immersive training and strong local hiring demand, the School of Nursing is preparing graduates to meet the moment \u2014 and the future<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

The need for skilled nurses in Texas is urgent \u2014 and growing. As health systems contend with rising chronic conditions, aging patients and workforce turnover, employers are looking for more than a nursing license. They need nurses who are ready to step in, contribute, grow and lead.<\/p>\n

The School of Nursing has long been known for its rigorous curriculum and deeply immersive clinical education within a complex care environment. Today, it\u2019s also a powerful engine for South Texas\u2019 nursing workforce, producing graduates who are sought after for their readiness, resilience and professionalism.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cWe focus on preparing nurses who are competent and confident from the moment they enter practice,\u201d said Sonya R. Hardin, PhD, RN, APRN, FAAN, dean of the School of Nursing. \u201cWe\u2019ve aligned our curriculum to meet the needs of employers \u2014 and, more importantly, the needs of patients.\u201d<\/p>\n

And employers are noticing.<\/p>\n

A pipeline with purpose <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

In San Antonio, few institutions understand the value of a practice-ready nurse better than the South Texas Veterans Health Care System. As one of the region\u2019s largest healthcare employers, the Veterans Administration hires dozens of the university\u2019s School of Nursing graduates each year, many of whom stay to grow their careers.<\/p>\n

Since 2013, 179 School of Nursing graduates have completed the VA\u2019s Registered Nurse Transition to Practice Program with a 100% first-year employee retention rate and a 98% retention rate after the second year. That\u2019s proof of both the school\u2019s rigor and its reputation, said Celida Martinez-Vargas, DNP, MSN, RN, chief nurse of nursing education and research at the VA.<\/p>\n

\"\"The longstanding partnership between the school and the VA has been nationally recognized with the Exemplary Academic-Practice Partnership Award<\/a> from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Established in 2003, the collaboration centers on elevating veteran care, strengthening nursing education and developing a future-ready workforce.<\/p>\n

Faculty appointed jointly by the VA and the university co-developed the national curriculum, an initiative designed to transform how new nurses grow from entry-level to professional competency.<\/p>\n

Wesley Richardson, PhD, MSN, RN, CNL, and Vicky Dittmar, MSN, RN, employees of the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans\u2019 Hospital and full-time faculty of the School of Nursing, co-authored the original proposal and designed both the clinical and didactic components of the program. Today, they continue to co-lead its national expansion and accreditation efforts.<\/p>\n

Other impactful elements of the partnership are the use of dedicated education units and nurse practitioner residency tracks, where students are immersed in clinical training within VA facilities. Under the mentorship of experienced preceptors, students apply didactic knowledge in real time, gaining confidence and clinical judgment in a setting designed for professional growth.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a symbiotic relationship, and one rooted with patients top-of-mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur health system depends on nurses who are ready to lead on day one,\u201d Martinez-Vargas said. \u201cAnd this school delivers. We\u2019re getting the best, and the best is what our veterans deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where education meets readiness <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

\"\"\u201cI still remember my clinical rotations. I felt prepared,\u201d said Julissa Hance, BSN, RN, CMSRN, EBP-C, a 2020 graduate of the school\u2019s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. \u201cWe were expected to think critically and communicate clearly to our patients. Being able to provide that service and my education to our veterans is why I came back to the VA.\u201d<\/p>\n

That sense of preparedness became real during a moment that had nothing to do with dispensing medication or charting but had everything to do with patient care. One day, Hance and her classmates stopped to assist a patient in a wheelchair who had reached a section of sidewalk approaching the VA entrance that lacked a ramp.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seemed like a small thing at first,\u201d Hance recalled, \u201cbut it was a barrier \u2014 literally and figuratively \u2014 to patient safety and accessibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

The group reported the issue to Richardson, their faculty instructor, who turned the moment into a powerful lesson in advocacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t just say, \u2018Thanks for letting me know,\u2019\u201d Hance said. \u201cHe walked us through the process of reporting the issue properly and explained why it mattered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Within weeks, the hospital determined that section of sidewalk was not ADA compliant and began construction to fix it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the moment I understood the power of our voice as nurses,\u201d Hance said. \u201cWe made a difference for that one patient, but also for every patient after them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now working as the nursing excellence and shared governance coordinator at the VA, Hance sees that moment as foundational to how she approaches leadership and systems change.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cThe program taught us what to do as nurses and how to think as leaders,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s what makes a nurse practice-ready. You don\u2019t hesitate when a patient\u2019s condition changes or when a system needs to be better. You act.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through high-stakes simulation, complex case studies and a culture of excellence and accountability, Hance and her classmates learned to approach care holistically, never losing sight of the bigger picture.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were held to high standards, but we were never alone,\u201d she said. \u201cFaculty and clinical instructors made it clear they expected excellence and that they believed we were capable of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Education that grows with you <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

That early lesson in advocacy sparked a deeper calling for Hance.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter that experience, I realized I wanted to help improve the systems,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Now pursuing her PhD in nursing science while continuing her role at the VA, Hance represents a growing number of nurses advancing their careers beyond the bedside, supported by a school that fosters long-term development.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur goal is to prepare nurses who contribute to the profession at every level,\u201d Hardin said. \u201cThat includes the clinical environment, but also research, policy, education and systems change.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Through faculty mentorship, grant support and dedicated pathways for doctoral education, the school empowers nurses to investigate challenges and design solutions that shape the future of care. Martinez-Vargas has seen the impact firsthand.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing more graduates return to us as leaders \u2014 unit-based, organizational and academic,\u201d she said. \u201cTheir education sets them up to practice nursing, but to also guide the evolution of the profession.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hance\u2019s doctoral work reflects that mission. It focuses on improving the nursing practice environment by exploring how frontline nurses perceive their work environment and understanding what contributes to a healthy work environment that drives positive nursing workforce outcomes.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy research is directly tied to what I do every day,\u201d Hance said. \u201cAnd I wouldn\u2019t have that lens without the foundation I received at the school and through the VA.\u201d<\/p>\n

That kind of growth is exactly what the school aims to cultivate.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur graduates are strengthening the workforce,\u201d said Hardin. \u201cTraining new nurses, shaping research and leading from every seat at the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meeting the moment and the future <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

As the nation\u2019s healthcare needs continue to evolve, so does the role of the nurse. Nursing faculty are keenly aware they must prepare students to meet today\u2019s standards while equipping them to define tomorrow\u2019s.<\/p>\n

The school\u2019s nationally ranked Doctor of Nursing Practice program, new nurse anesthesia program, expanded simulation center and growing research opportunities are already forming a new generation of leaders prepared for the complexities ahead. And that commitment to innovation won\u2019t stop as the university enters its next chapter.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re preparing nurses to be thinking professionals who can grow and advocate throughout their careers,\u201d said Hardin.<\/p>\n

As new technologies like artificial intelligence and interdisciplinary approaches with fields such as engineering reshape the future of care, the school is actively exploring ways to integrate those frontiers into nursing education.<\/p>\n

That forward-looking mindset resonates with alumni like Hance, who sees major shifts on the horizon.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the next five to 10 years, I believe nurses will take on even more leadership, both at the bedside and at the systems level,\u201d she said. \u201cThe ability to lead and promote shared governance, interpret research and advocate for change will be critical. It\u2019s about being ready for day one \u2014 and for everything that comes after.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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