2020
In the early days of the COVID-19 crisis, the Wellness 360 clinics were deemed essential services and remained open to virtual and in-person care. Soon the practice would be called upon to deliver COVID-19-related services across the county with the Mobile Medical Unit. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wellness 360 opened clinical sites on three additional college campuses further expanding the reach of the nurse-led clinical enterprise.
The nurse-led effort answered more than 25,000 Hotline telephone calls, collected more than 30,000 COVID-19 molecular tests, and administered more than 150,000 COVID-19 vaccines in an operation that served up to 2500 people a day for five months.
The SON's nurse-managed Wellness 360 Clinic was the first mass testing facility in the city of San Antonio. In collaboration with the UT Health San Antonio School of Medicine’s Department of Pathology, the testing site was the only one within the region to return results in less than 24 hours.
The vaccine arrived on December 14, 2020, with administration of the first dose on December 15, 2020. The vaccine HUB was identified not only for the University but for the entire Bexar County community.
2021
Originally scheduled to complete vaccination activities on January 26, 2021, the University President, with support from the State Board of Regents, extended the vaccine HUB activities through mid-May 2021 with more than 150,000 vaccines administered by UT Health San Antonio student and faculty volunteers, along with clinical staff. HUB activities ended on May 12, continuing a smaller scale within physician practices, the Wellness 360 clinics, and Mobile Medical Unit efforts.
2022
Lixin (Lee) Song, PhD, RN, FAAN, joins the School of Nursing as vice dean of research and scholarship. Dr. Song’s research focuses on cancer survivorship, family caregiving research and technology-based interventions among aging patients with different types of cancer. She has been recognized for her expertise in family-based cancer research through her induction as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.
Sonya Renae Hardin, PhD, MBA/MHA, CCRN, NP-C, FAAN, is appointed as the new dean of the UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing, replacing Dean Eileen Breslin who retired after 14 successful years in the role. Dr. Hardin brought broad experience in nursing school administration and patient care, as well as research, fundraising and collaboration with academia and industry to advance health in her communities. Her work in acute- and critical-care nursing as well as research in aging and chronic diseases are nationally recognized.
Former School of Nursing Dean Eileen Breslin, PhD, RN, FAAN, received the Sister Bernadette Arminger award from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The award honors nurse leaders who have made significant contributions to the AACN, its goals, nursing education and the advancement of the nursing profession. A 28-year institutional AACN member, Breslin served as president, president-elect and treasurer of the organization.
Norma Martinez Rogers, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor emeritus in the School of Nursing, was selected as an American Academy of Nursing Living Legend. This highest honor of the academy was presented Oct. 28 at the academy’s 2022 Health Policy Conference in Washington D.C.
The School of Nursing at UT Health San Antonio was named the recipient of a Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing’s 2023 Healthy Work Environment Award (academic). Sigma’s two awards recognize and honor an academic setting and clinical facility that demonstrate a commitment to promoting a healthy work environment and excellence in health care outcomes.
The UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing received a five-year, nearly $3 million Department of Education Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program grant to further boost Hispanic, low-income student engagement and wellness at a time of peak nursing demand. Vanessa Bográn Meling, EdD, MBA acted as Principal Investigator.
2023
Diana Cavazos, PhD, MSN, MHSA, RN, continues to help nursing students learn compassionate care with clinical skills education through the School of Nursing’s partnership with two nonprofits. These organizations are Corazón San Antonio, which provides services for individuals who are homeless, some of whom have substance use disorder, and Street Medicine San Antonio, which provides medical care to the unsheltered population. Just as in the school’s other clinical education options, students learn to assess patients, treat wounds, take medical histories, document care and refer patients for follow-up.
In May, the School of Nursing’s Office of Nursing Research and Scholarship hosted the 6th Annual Carol A. Huebner Leadership for Clinical Excellence Lecture, the first held in-person since the pandemic. Featured presenter, Christopher R. Friese, PhD, RN, AOCN®, FAAN, professor of nursing and associate director for cancer control and population sciences at The University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, spoke to an audience of faculty, staff and students about the specific challenges and opportunities of nursing science.
Fayron Epps, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN, was named the inaugural Karen and Ronald Hermann Distinguished Chair in Caregiver Research within The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio School of Nursing. Karen and Ronald Herrmann gave $1 million to establish the endowment, which supports innovative research to develop and test new models of care clinical trials, intervention delivery and emerging technologies to address the needs of diverse caregiving families in South Texas.
Mark Soucy, PhD, RN, PMHNP, FAANP, received the Patriot Award, which goes to those who have provided exemplary support for Reservists and National Guard Members. “I’m so honored,” Soucy said. “As a member of the faculty, sometimes we don’t realize the impact we have on a person’s life until something like this happens. It’s a humbling experience.”
UT Health San Antonio maintained its ranking in the top 5% of undergraduate nursing programs nationally in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 Best Colleges rankings, and first in South Texas.
The School of Nursing at UT Health San Antonio received approval and authorization from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to launch a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nurse Anesthesia degree program. Additionally, the program has received accreditation from the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Programs in early November. The program's first cohort will commence in Fall 2024, making it the first nurse anesthesia civilian program in the San Antonio and South Texas area.
