Distance Learning Re-Entry Nursing Update

Welcome to the Distance Learning Re-Entry Nursing Update Project website!

This site is the result of almost three years of planning and development to provide a useful resource for nurses, students, preceptors and community colleges involved in or seeking nursing refresher courses around the state of Texas. The site is part of a much larger project that has produced a distance learning (on-line) nursing refresher course that is now available through many of the Texas community colleges.

The overall goal of the project is to provide a distance learning nursing refresher course that results in an increase in the number of nurses accessing such programs in the state of Texas. This project has produced an on-line nursing refresher course that is a proven flexible alternative to traditional classroom-based refresher courses. Close to 100 nurses from around the state of Texas have participated in the program during the first year of operation! This project continues to “help nurses reconnect with healthcare.”

This project website provides the following resources:

For the public – detailed information on the overall development and outcomes of the project.

For the student – resources to assist in locating a nursing refresher course in Texas; understanding the scope and requirements of a nursing refresher program; information and documentation used by students taking the distance learning nursing refresher course developed through this project; and a direct link to the online course for students currently enrolled.

For the preceptor – resources describing: the nature of a nursing refresher course and the students that complete such courses; orientation to the role of the preceptor working with the refresher nurse; and documentation used during the delivery of the distance learning nursing refresher course developed through this project.

For the Community College – resources to assist the college with: choosing between the various methods for providing the nursing refresher course to their students; information and documentation needed for the delivery of the distance learning nursing refresher course developed through this program; and project contact information for support in getting started with the program.

The project and this site have been created through a collaborative effort between Austin Community College, Collin County Community College District, El Paso Community College, Midland College, North Harris College, the Texas Hospital Association, and STARLINK (the Texas community college satellite broadcast system), with funding provided by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board through a State Leadership Carl D. Perkins Fund grant. Additional oversight and guidance were provided to the project by the Texas State Leadership Consortium for Curriculum Development.

This site will be maintained by Austin Community College as a resource and clearinghouse for information related to nursing refresher courses delivered through Texas community colleges. The developers hope that you find the information within the various areas of this site to be useful, and encourage you to email the project contacts (listed in the Contacts area of this website) should you have any additional questions.

Project Activities

• Regional Workshop Presentation (PPT)
• FAQ (PDF)
• Survey Summary and Results (PDF)
• Project Timeline
  • Timeline 2004-2005
  • Timeline 2003-2004
• Meetings and Minutes
  • Minutes June 7, 2005 (PDF)
  • Minutes October 28, 2005 (PDF)
  • Minute July 27, 2004 (PDF)
  • February 26, 2004 (PDF)
  • November 4, 2003 (PDF)