TAMIU Canseco School of Nursing Accreditation Bodes Well

Texas A&M International University's Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing has successfully completed a major step in pursuit of full accreditation by the National League For Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). The Canseco School has held initial accreditation since 1997 and is now eligible to seek full accreditation.

Final approval is a lengthy process, but is much closer after a three-person team visited A&M International and Laredo last week to gather information on the program. Their findings will be presented to the Commission in June.

Dr. Susan Baker, director of the School, said that the visit was successful and the team will recommend eight years of accreditation for the nursing program.

"The team was extremely impressed with our program and eight years of accreditation is the maximum that the visiting team can recommend. Among the strengths that they cited were our students, our faculty, the support of the entire institution and the unparalleled community support for our program," said Baker.

She said that there were many people she wanted to thank for their support in making this visit such a success.

"The students did an absolutely incredible job. They knew the program, answered every question and impressed the team with their maturity and enthusiasm for both our program and the career of nursing. The team heard the same rave reviews throughout the campus and the community," said Baker, "They said they'd never seen community support like that expressed at the open reception we had here on campus. Faculty members from A&M International and representatives from Laredo Community College as well as the University of Texas Health Center were there to express their enthusiasm for the School. Both Mercy and Doctors Hospital showed their support, along with representatives from throughout the Laredo community."

Dr. Juan Homero Hinojosa, dean of the College of Science and Technology which houses the School, concurred, and said the team's response was gratifying.

"We've long maintained the program's excellence and powerful and strong community collaborations, but this assessment by a team of this caliber is especially gratifying. We very much appreciate the accreditation team's recognition of the efforts of our faculty, students and community partnerships in building this impressive program," Dr. Hinojosa said.

The team will present a report on their visit, along with the School's 200-page self-study and the team's recommendation, to members of a peer review panel in June. After reviewing the information, the panel will make a recommendation to the Accrediting Commission who will make the final decision on accreditation in July.

Baker said national accreditation is significant not only for the validation it provides the school, but also for the future plans of nurses in the area.

"The significance of accreditation for students is that in order for them to go on to graduate school, for instance to earn a master's degree in nursing, they must graduate from an accredited program," said Baker.

For more information about the Canseco School of Nursing, please contact Dr. Baker at 326.2450, visit offices in the Dr. F.M. Canseco Hall, room 315 or email sbaker@tamiu.edu.

For more information about the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, please visit their website at www.nlnac.org.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu