Black River Technical College (BRTC) Director of Nursing Tonya Hankins was recently named to an Arkansas State Board of Nursing Education Committee.
The Education Committee meets quarterly to ensure nursing education programs in the state meet the standards put forth in the Nurse Practice Act. The standards ensure that nursing programs cover the knowledge and skills that graduates will need to practice safely and competently as a newly licensed nurse.
There are currently 29 practical nursing and 28 registered nursing programs across the state. The Education Committee monitors ongoing surveys of each school required for continued approval, reviews and approves curriculum revisions, assesses and approves proposals for new nursing programs in the state, and provides recommendations to programs to ensure compliance with the standards for nursing education programs.
“I am honored to have been elected to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing Education Committee. Nursing education programs are facing significant challenges such as recruiting qualified faculty, maintaining adequate budgets, and a declining interest in pursuing nursing as a career. I plan to use my experience as a nurse educator to provide support to other nursing programs and to advocate for quality nursing education in Arkansas,” said Hankins.
Hankins has been a registered nurse since 1997. She began her career in higher education in 2008 at BRTC.
For more information about the BRTC nursing program, contact Hankins at (870) 248-4174 or tonya.hankins@blackrivertech.edu or contact Allied Health Academic Advisor Dana Clay at (870) 248-4150 or danac@blackrivertech.edu.