| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 252 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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| 3 | 3 | | recognize the nursing programs at Panola College for their |
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| 4 | 4 | | invaluable contributions to the health and well-being of our |
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| 5 | 5 | | citizens; and |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Panola College, located in Carthage, Texas, |
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| 7 | 7 | | established its licensed vocational nursing program in 1972, and |
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| 8 | 8 | | the associate degree nursing program has been in operation since |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1994; the institution is just the second in Texas to have a |
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| 10 | 10 | | complete online registered nurse program; and |
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| 11 | 11 | | WHEREAS, Accredited by the National League for Nursing |
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| 12 | 12 | | Accreditation, Panola College's programs have trained over 2,000 |
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| 13 | 13 | | professionals for the nursing field; Panola College's nursing |
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| 14 | 14 | | faculty all hold masters degrees and have an average of 20 years |
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| 15 | 15 | | of nursing experience; over the past six years, more than 90 |
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| 16 | 16 | | percent of graduates of the associate degree nursing program have |
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| 17 | 17 | | passed licensing exams on the first attempt; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | WHEREAS, As part of community outreach training for |
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| 19 | 19 | | students, Panola College nursing students have participated in |
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| 20 | 20 | | eight trips to Belize, bringing basic health services to that |
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| 21 | 21 | | country's most remote villages; in Panola County, they have |
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| 22 | 22 | | served approximately 600 participants each year at two annual |
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| 23 | 23 | | health fairs, with two-thirds of attendees receiving some sort of |
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| 24 | 24 | | health screening and another 20 percent being referred to a |
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| 25 | 25 | | primary care provider; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, Panola College's nursing programs have received |
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| 27 | 27 | | several grants to assist with innovation and the retention of |
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| 28 | 28 | | students, resulting in an increased graduation rate of 51 |
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| 29 | 29 | | percent; to increase opportunities for experiential learning, |
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| 30 | 30 | | the programs have recently started a simulation lab in |
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| 31 | 31 | | conjunction with the East Texas Medical Center in Carthage; now, |
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| 32 | 32 | | therefore, be it |
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| 33 | 33 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st |
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| 34 | 34 | | Legislature, hereby commend the Panola College nursing programs |
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| 35 | 35 | | for their excellence and innovation in education and extensive |
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| 36 | 36 | | service to the community; and, be it further |
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| 37 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as an |
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| 38 | 38 | | expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. |
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| 39 | 39 | | Eltife |
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| 40 | 40 | | ________________________________ |
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| 41 | 41 | | President of the Senate |
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| 42 | 42 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 43 | 43 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 44 | 44 | | the Senate on February 18, 2009. |
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| 45 | 45 | | ________________________________ |
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| 46 | 46 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 47 | 47 | | ________________________________ |
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| 48 | 48 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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