A heart for healing: Inside Midland College's Nursing Program
For Amanda Tipton, a maternal and pediatric nursing professor, it's about more than instruction.
'We want to see our community with safe, good care provided by the nursing staff in the area,' she said. 'That's where we start. We build from the basics, so there's an assurance these students will go out into the community and make a difference in people's lives and keep people alive. That's what we do.'
That mission is matched by impressive results. Midland College's Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program recently achieved a 98.49% NCLEX-RN pass rate, far exceeding the national average of 90.63%. Meanwhile, the college's Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) program earned a perfect 100% pass rate, surpassing both state and national benchmarks.
'These outstanding results reflect the dedication and hard work of our faculty, staff, administration, and most importantly, our students,' said Cindy Madewell, Dean of Health Sciences. 'We are incredibly proud of their achievements and their commitment to providing top-quality health care.'
Stacy Salazar, a graduating student, exemplifies that commitment. Her decision to become a nurse was inspired by her experience as a young patient at Cook Children's Hospital. Now, she's preparing to begin her career in the Critical Care Unit at Midland Memorial Hospital.
'I just hope to be the nurse that took care of my grandma when she passed away,' Salazar said. 'Not just focusing on her, but caring for the family during such a difficult time.'
Salazar's journey, like many in the program, wasn't easy.
'Time management has been hard…I used to do everything last minute,' she admitted. 'But over time, you get into your rhythm and figure out what works best.'
Tipton said that kind of growth is central to the program's design. Many students arrive without fully understanding the demands of nursing school.
'People don't always know how to really study before they get here,' she said. 'Building those habits is essential.'
But support at Midland College goes beyond academics. Salazar credits the TimelyCare app, a mental health resource for students, with helping her stay grounded during high-stress semesters. 'I used to be quiet,' she said. 'But now I speak out more…with patients, with classmates, in relationships.'
Tipton sees that transformation as a hallmark of the program. 'This work affects people's lives,' she said. 'As an OB nurse, I get to be part of moments people will remember forever. I want my students to love what they do.'
As Texas faces a growing demand for skilled nurses, Tipton stressed the accessibility of Midland's pathways. The college offers dual credit options, LVN to RN bridges, and direct-entry routes for high school graduates, creating multiple on-ramps into the field. 'There's always a way in,' she said.
Whether students are fresh out of high school or returning to school later in life, Tipton said the diversity in her classroom proves one thing: 'It's never too late to care.'
With outstanding exam results, hands-on training, and compassionate instruction, Midland College is shaping the future of health care in the Permian Basin, one well-prepared nurse at a time.
For more information about Midland College's nursing programs, visit .
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Newsweek
5 days ago
- Newsweek
Supreme Court Faces Decision on LGBTQ+ Conversion Therapy
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The U.S. Supreme Court is preparing to hear arguments this fall in a case about whether it should uphold or overturn Colorado's ban on LGBTQ+ conversion therapy. Why It Matters More than 20 states have banned conversion therapy, the practice of trying to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling. The practice has drawn scrutiny from LGBTQ+ advocates and many medical professionals who say conversion therapy does not work, lacks a scientific basis and can impose harm on minors. The nation's highest court on Tuesday announced that it will hear arguments in the case Chiles v. Salazar on October 7, 2025. The ruling could have key implications for the legality of conversion therapy in the states that have banned the practice. It has drawn concerns within the community, as some are concerned that the conservative-leaning bench could require states to allow conversion therapy. What To Know The Supreme Court case focuses on Kaley Chiles, a counselor in Colorado who challenged the state's law prohibiting the use of conversion therapy on minors. In a petition to the Supreme Court, her attorneys wrote that she is a "licensed counselor who helps people by talking with them." The petition raised a First Amendment argument, accusing Colorado of trying to ban "consensual conversations based on the viewpoints they express." Proponents of the ban on conversion therapy point to statistics showing it can harm LGBTQ+ youth. A 2020 study from the Trevor Project found that minors who underwent conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to have reported suicide attempts and more than 2.5 times as likely to report multiple suicide attempts compared to those who did not. Supporters argue that the state has the authority to regulate health care services that put minors at risk. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Canva/Getty Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat, argued in a filing that Court precedent "allows states to reasonably regulate professional conduct to protect patients from substandard treatment, even when that regulation incidentally burdens speech." "The Court of Appeals engaged in a straightforward application of this precedent to hold that the First Amendment allows states to regulate the professional practice of conversion therapy, like other unsafe and ineffective health care treatments, to protect minor patients from substandard professional care," he wrote. Former federal prosecutor Gene Rossi told Newsweek that the "Supreme Court's tea leaves seem to suggest that the Colorado law may be in peril." 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Ryan Thoreson, a professor of law at the University of Cincinnati, told Newsweek he believes Colorado has strong arguments in favor of its ban, but that he is "skeptical this Court will uphold the state's conversion therapy ban in light of its recent First Amendment rulings." "The Roberts Court has been consistently solicitous toward free speech and religious exercise claims brought by conservative litigants, even when those claims undermine longstanding laws that protect LGBT people from discrimination and harm," he said. Colorado is likely to argue that it is "well-established that states can permissibly regulate the conduct of medical professionals, and can prohibit practices that fall below a certain standard of professional care." "And they can do so even when that conduct involves some amount of speech. 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A broad First Amendment right of medical providers to say or recommend whatever they like without professional or legislative oversight, even when there is clear evidence that doing so is harmful, could open the door to pseudoscience and junk science in both medical and physical health care settings," he said. Jonathan Scruggs, senior counsel and vice president of litigation strategy at the Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing Chiles, told Newsweek that children should not be "forced into one-size-fits-all options when they're looking for counseling help." "They deserve real support, not just state-approved talking points. Our client Kaley Chiles, a licensed counselor in Colorado, works with her clients who voluntarily come to her with their goals to talk through what they are facing. Struggling kids deserve better than Colorado's law that pushes them toward harmful drugs and surgeries," he said. Jennifer Levi, senior director of transgender and queer rights at GLAD Law, told Newsweek there is a "real risk that the outcome indeed may be here that the court strikes down a ban on conversion therapy for minors." "What we know from well established science and research is that there is no amount of talk or pressure that can make a gay person not gay, or a trans person not transgender," Levi said. "It's really important that licensed therapists don't abuse their position of trust to push an agenda that research has shown puts kids at high risk of suicide attempts and self harm." Levi said it is "always hard to anticipate the scope of the court's decision," but it is possible the ruling could have "quite significant" implications for other states that have banned the practice. Do Americans Support Conversion Therapy? A majority of Americans are opposed to conversion therapy, according to a poll from Data for Progress, which surveyed 1,155 likely voters from June 6 to June 8, 2025. Fifty-six percent of respondents said they agreed conversion therapy should be banned, while only 35 percent said they should be allowed to take place. Sixty-two percent of Democrats, 57 percent of independents and 49 percent of Republicans believed the practice should be banned. A December 2023 report from The Trevor Project found that there were 1,320 conversion therapy practitioners operating across the country, 605 of whom were operating under professional licenses. What Have Supreme Court Justices Said About Conversion Therapy? So far, at least one justice has signaled opposition to conversion therapy bans. After the court rejected a similar case out of Washington, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, writing, "There is a fierce public debate over how best to help minors with gender dysphoria. The petitioner, Brian Tingley, stands on one side of the divide. He believes that a person's sex is 'a gift from God, integral to our very being.'" 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"This law is squarely focused on ensuring that providers with government-issued licenses do not abuse the trust placed in them to subject minors to practices that have been rejected by every medical and mental health association in the country. We know that proponents of so-called conversion 'therapy' are making every attempt to impose an ideologically driven agenda. However, we remain hopeful that the justices will side with reason, evidence, and expertise, and uphold this effort by Colorado lawmakers to protect the health and safety of young people." Jonathan Scruggs, senior counsel and vice president of litigation strategy at the Alliance Defending Freedom, told Newsweek: "All who choose to live consistent with their biological sex are entitled to the help of counselors like Kaley as they work through that process. We hope the US Supreme Court will rule on the side of free speech and allow counselors like Kaley to work with her clients without the government mandating goals it prefers." Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat, wrote in a statement in January: "In Colorado, we are committed to protecting professional standards of care so that no one suffers unscientific and harmful so-called gay conversion therapy. Colorado's judgment on this is the humane, smart, and appropriate policy and we're committed to defending." What Happens Next Oral arguments are set for October 7. The court has also been asked to weigh in on another major LGBTQ+ rights case. Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who refused to provide marriage licenses to same-sex couples after the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015, has asked the court to revisit that ruling and overturn the national right to same-sex marriage. Legal experts told Newsweek that the case is a long shot, however.
Medscape
5 days ago
- Medscape
A Nurse in Every School?
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Data from the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) found that just 65% of schools had access to a registered nurse (RN), licensed practical nurse (LPN), or licensed vocational nurse. About Medscape Data Medscape continually surveys physicians and other medical professionals about key practice challenges and current issues, creating high-impact analyses. For example, the Medscape RN/LPN Job Market Report 2025 found that Both RNs and LPNs younger than 45 years were slightly more motivated to job search than older nurses. About 6 in 10 RNs and LPNs checked out a potential new job within the past 3 years. About 1 in 6 nurses don't think they have much negotiating power when it comes to getting a new job offer. Although 20 states, including Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Minnesota, require K-12 schools to have a school nurse, students in other states often lack access to healthcare in school. Rural areas and districts in the Midwest and West employed the fewest number of school nurses, according to NASN. The Nurses for Under-Resourced Schools Everywhere (NURSE) Act was recently reintroduced in an effort to increase healthcare access in education. The legislation aims to establish a federal grant program to help Title I schools where at least 20% of students are enrolled in free- or reduced-price breakfast and lunch programs to hire and retain school nurses. 'The NURSE Act recognizes the critical role of school nurses in providing students with access to quality healthcare so they can be healthy, safe, and ready to learn,' explained NASN president-elect Pat Endsley, PhD, RN, NCSN, FNASN. More Than Bandages and Ice Packs Injuries, illnesses, and disabilities lead to chronic school absences for almost 6% of school-aged children, and school nurses can help manage acute and chronic illnesses that are linked with poor attendance. In schools without a school nurse, 18% of students were sent home for illnesses or injuries compared with just 5% of students in schools with a school nurse. School nurses don't just affect absenteeism. Studies have found that students with access to school nurses experience better management of chronic conditions and improved academic outcomes, too. 'Sometimes we're just that place where students can come for some reassurance…Sometimes they just need 5 minutes to come in and decompress before going back to class,' Endsley said. 'We're a safe place [and] our goal is getting that student back to class and getting the most out of their education.' However, providing healthcare and safe spaces in schools comes at a cost. On average, the cost of having an LPN in a school nursing program was $115,707 per school year at a time when US schools are facing their biggest budget crunch in years. Funding for school nurses comes from a patchwork of sources, including the federal Department of Education, Medicaid, state health departments, and grants. The patchwork approach leads to disparities in resources between states and even among school districts. Cuts to Medicaid and uncertainty about the future of the Board of Education could also affect the number of nurses in schools today. The expiration of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic led to severe implications in school districts that included job cuts and loss of critical programming, including the loss of school nurses. 'Schools got COVID funds to hire a lot of school nurses, but…after those funds expired, not very many schools made those positions permanent,' said Endsley. While previous recommendations from organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics suggested a ratio of one school nurse for every 750 students, it's considered an outdated standard, according to Endsley. Instead, she believes districts should conduct ongoing assessments to determine student needs and inform hiring decisions. A school with 500 students but few chronic health conditions might need just one school nurse, while a less populated school with a higher proportion of students with ongoing medical needs might need two (or more) nurses, she explained. But there is more to addressing the school nurse shortage than coming up with student-to-nurse ratios. Changing Perceptions Hiring school nurses is challenging. Misconceptions about the role of school nurses and burnout are among the biggest reasons that 50% of RNs and LPNs leave school nursing in 3-6 months. 'Most people don't know what school nurses do,' said Jones. 'I've had people tell me, 'You sit at the desk all day and hand out candy.'' The perception that school nursing is all about 'Band-Aids, ice, and lice' prevents school nurses from entering the profession — but the RNs who work in school settings appreciate some of the perks: There are no weekend, rotating, or overnight shifts, and many school nurses work 10 months of the year, leading to better work-life balance. There are challenges, too. School nurses experience significant pay disparities. NASN data show that just 34% of school nurses make more than $60,000 per year compared with almost 70% of the total RN workforce. This often forces school nurses to pick up additional shifts in hospitals and clinics, Jones added. The workforce also tends to be older — more than two-thirds of school nurses are over 40 — and retire sooner, leading to greater turnover. The role is also best suited to mid-career nurses. Jones calls it 'grassroots nursing.' 'You have blood pressure cuffs and a stethoscope, and your own knowledge, judgment and skill set,' she added. 'You're usually the only medical expert in the building, and you need a solid foundation.' However, when RNs work in schools, sick and injured students aren't the only ones who benefit. Schools with full-time nurses receive an average return on investment of $1.59 for every dollar invested as well as significant savings in teacher, secretary, principal, and parent productivity — and the community benefits, too. 'School nurses really are an integral part of the whole education system,' Endsley said. 'We work in partnership with our school community, with our teachers, our administrators, but also with the community at large.'
CBS News
6 days ago
- CBS News
Nurses at Anaheim hospital hold 1-day strike to voice concerns about employee turnover
Registered nurses at an Orange County hospital are holding a one-day strike on Tuesday, claiming that management has refused to address concerns related to high nurse turnover. The nursing staff at West Anaheim Medical Center said in a news release that it wants a new contract to improve conditions for safe patient care, provide ways to attract new nurses and retain them, and keep up on legal requirements on nurse-to-patient ratios. "Our emergency department is often completely full with a large lobby of patients waiting to be seen," said Liz Rivera, RN in the telemetry unit. "Having a strong, experienced, well-trained workforce in all units will make a huge difference in getting our patients timely and critical care throughout the hospital." Heather Foy, a nurse in the intensive care unit, said the hospital perpetually hires new graduates, who leave for other opportunities quickly after completing their training. "In my twelve years at WAMC, nurse retention has not been this dire. We are truly exhausted and need real solutions," she said. In a statement, WAMC said it has already implemented pay increases for nursing staff that went into effect last week, and its latest proposal in contract negotiations provides benefits it calls among the best in the nation. "We value our employees and their dedication to caring for our community, and in turn, we are committed to ensuring that our mission endures," the statement reads. "West Anaheim Medical Center continues to be a trusted source for healthcare in Orange County, receiving national patient safety and quality recognitions while providing vital care for its community, including A-grades in patient safety, health equity, community benefit, and clinical outcomes from the Lown Institute Hospitals Index. None of this would have been possible without our dedicated staff. We are committed to ensuring a workplace that honors their work and continues to provide lifesaving care." WAMC said the strike will not disrupt patient care. The nurses said negotiations have been ongoing since February and have included three days with a federal mediator. It's not yet clear when the sides will return to the bargaining table. Aerial footage on Tuesday morning showed a large group of nurses gathered outside of the hospital in solidarity. The nurses are expected to return to work on Wednesday.
