Medical and Nursing Education

The purpose of the PONDS is to increase success of students from underrepresented populations in the nursing workforce who enroll in the nursing program. The PONDS’ program strategies are designed to help students: 1) develop confidence, 2) identify with/in the profession, 3) progress through the program, 4) graduate and pass NCLEX, 5) recognize the importance of continuing nursing education, and 6) gain employment as a nurse. Students’ chances of completing the Tarrant County College (TCC) Nursing Program are, unfortunately, higher for some populations than others. In the 2015-2016 academic year, disadvantaged and underrepresented students represented less than 40 percent of the total enrollment in the Nursing Program. For the same school year, disadvantaged students represented 23 percent of the students who did not complete the Nursing Program due to either dropping out or failure to pass course requirements. The Project PONDS model has been designed specifically to address these disparate outcomes and to address barriers to success for students from disadvantaged and underrepresented populations. Asians, African-Americans, and Hispanics make up 43% of Tarrant County’s population, and 55% of students in Tarrant County are considered economically disadvantaged. TCC’s Nursing Program, while satisfied with the rigor of its program and curricula, recognizes that there must be a proactive, sustainable and focused program-wide effort to recruit, sustain, graduate, and ensure certification of disadvantaged students. The Project PONDS has addressed the strategies of Academic and peer support, mentoring, institutional and community partnerships, and student financial support by engaging in the activities.