Seton Medical Center Williamson gives $200,000 to support nursing education in Round Rock

Seton Medical Center Williamson presented $200,000 to the Texas A&M University College of Nursing to support the continued development of the college’s nursing program in Round Rock. This gift brings Seton Medical Center Williamson’s contribution total to approximately $1.8 million since 2009, and solidifies the goal of both entities to produce the best possible nursing care for Central Texas.

“It is our privilege to collaborate with Texas A&M College of Nursing in preparing nurses for the future of health care and the demands of the market,” said Yvonne VanDyke, chief nursing officer for Ascension’s Texas health system, which includes Seton.

The Texas A&M College of Nursing opened the Round Rock campus in 2009, and the donation will support the RN-to-BSN and Second Degree BSN programs in Round Rock, and a new traditional BSN degree in the Fall of 2017.

“We are excited to be offering BSN programs at the Round Rock campus,” said Sharon A. Wilkerson, Ph.D., RN, CNE, ANEF, dean of the Texas A&M College of Nursing. “The demand for nurses, especially for baccalaureate prepared nurses is high.” The college will also expand the curriculum to help fill specific specialty gaps.

“This grant will support development of a surgical nurse education program,” VanDyke added. “There is a national shortage of perioperative nurses and the implementation of a perioperative nursing curriculum that stresses teamwork will help establish a pipeline of newly licensed nurses who are better prepared to transition into positions in our operating rooms.”

Seton Medical Center Williamson and the Texas A&M College of Nursing joined forces nine years ago to bring the best in nursing education and care to Williamson County.

“Seton Medical Center Williamson’s support has had a direct impact on our enrollment growth in Round Rock,” said Wilkerson. “And, their continued support is one of the reasons we can expand our programs and curriculum. We are thankful for Seton’s generosity and look forward to enhancing the quality of nursing education together, and providing the best care to area patients, families and the community.”

The college’s main campus in Bryan, offers Traditional, Second Degree and RN-to-BSN tracts to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and master’s degrees in Family Nurse Practitioner and Nursing Education.

Seton Medical Center Williamson, a member of the Seton Healthcare Family and part of Ascension, the nation’s largest nonprofit health system, opened on February 7, 2008, to serve Williamson County’s growing community and to meet the need for more convenient and advanced healthcare services in the area. Seton Williamson is the largest and only faith-based hospital in Williamson County. The Seton RN Residency offers newly licensed registered nurses a multistage transition into a workplace that emphasizes the best care possible, delivered with the dignity and respect every human deserves.