School of Nursing Retains Top-Half NIH Ranking

The University of Texas School of Nursing at Houston has again placed in the top half of schools of nursing across the country that receive competitive grant funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The school has held this distinction in seven of the last eight years. Of the 570 colleges and schools of nursing in the United States, fewer than 90 (16 percent) receive any funding from the NIH.

“We are proud of our faculty and doctoral students for their successes in competing for these peer reviewed NIH awards,” said Patricia L. Starck, D.S.N., the John P. McGovern, M.D., Distinguished Professor in Nursing and dean of the School of Nursing.

The NIH awards are given to support the research of non-federal scientists throughout the country and to train research investigators. Because the UT School of Nursing at Houston is particularly interested in training nursing researchers, it has developed the Doctor of Science in Nursing (D.S.N.) program, the only clinical nursing doctoral program in Texas.

“NIH funding has helped support projects in the areas of prevention of cardiovascular disease, the treatment of high blood pressure, caregiving for the elderly, early dementia awareness, pain management in Hispanic and Caucasian populations, and treatment for persons with bipolar disorder and substance abuse, among others,” said Sandra K. Hanneman, Ph.D., associate dean for research and director of the Center for Nursing Research.

In Spring 2004, the School of Nursing will move into a new building at the corner of Bertner Avenue and Holcombe Boulevard. The building will provide completely up-to-date education and research facilities. The Center for Nursing Research will occupy an entire floor and will be equipped with research laboratories to help faculty and students in the quest for scientific discovery, which will aid in better training for future generations of nurses and improve the health of the public.

The School of Nursing ranks in the top 10 percent of all nursing schools in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report’s “2003 America’s Best Graduate Schools” guide.

— by Shannon Rasp, Public Affairs