[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 18 (Monday, February 1, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E79-E80]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO COLLEGE OF NURSING

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, February 1, 2016

  Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise today 
to honor the University of New Mexico College of Nursing which 
celebrated its 60th Anniversary this past year. The College of Nursing 
is a world class institution of learning whose graduates have been a 
blessing to the individuals they have cared for and helped save 
countless lives.
  The University of New Mexico College of Nursing was founded in 1955 
after Dr. Marion Fleck and Mary Jane Carter acquired a $60,000 grant 
from the New Mexico State Legislature. Since its founding, the school 
has aimed to educate and train future leaders in nursing, research 
innovative methods to improve and deliver patient care, and design a 
world class health system. Over the past 60 years, the College of 
Nursing has seen more than 6,000 alumni graduate from its ranks. These 
nurses have gone on to serve our community and provide invaluable care 
to hundreds of thousands of patients.
  Throughout its history, the University of New Mexico College of 
Nursing has demonstrated exemplary leadership in its field. For 
example, it was the first program in New Mexico to establish a Master 
of Science in Nursing degree, as well as a Doctorate of Nursing 
Practice. The school has also created nurse managed clinics and 
partnered with the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center to address the 
healthcare needs of veterans in our community. Furthermore, through 
their membership in the New Mexico Nurses Education Consortium, the 
College of Nursing has partnered with local community colleges to 
provide access to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing throughout the 
state. Lastly, the PhD program is one of only a few in the nation to 
offer a health policy track to train future leaders in nursing. We are 
very fortunate to have such an outstanding institution training our 
future healthcare providers.
  It gives me great pleasure to report that the University of New 
Mexico College of Nursing has been recognized for these impressive 
accomplishments. In 2015, the College of Nursing was ranked tenth 
overall on Value Schools' list of the top-valued undergraduate nursing 
programs. Dr. Nancy Ridenour, dean of the College of Nursing explained 
that ``Credit goes largely to our renowned faculty who provides an 
education that emphasizes working with rural and underserved 
populations and prepares our students to transform nursing and health 
care.''
  Indeed, the University of New Mexico College of Nursing has proven 
itself a model in philanthropy and community involvement. From July 1, 
2013 to June 30, 2014 alone, the faculty and students from the College 
of Nursing spent more than 83,000 hours working in the community in 
order to provide healthcare

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services to more than 19,500 children, individuals and families through 
clinical practice and training exercises at more than 375 healthcare 
facilities throughout the state. The College of Nursing also emphasizes 
teaching its students how to serve rural and underserved populations, 
and the school is committed to diversity in its classes so that its 
campus will better reflect the communities its graduates go on to 
serve.
  With a shortage of nurses in the country, especially in largely rural 
areas like New Mexico, it is fundamental that world class institutions 
like the University of New Mexico College of Nursing continue to train 
exceptional nurses who will serve our community for years to come. The 
New Mexico Health Care Workforce Committee estimates that New Mexico 
currently faces a shortage of at least 270 nurses. However, the care 
that nurses provide is the crux of our medical model. I am grateful for 
the tremendous work that the University of New Mexico College of 
Nursing has done to supply our state with such invaluable caregivers. 
Indeed, we must continue to support this world class institution and 
others like it.
  Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize this special and 
important institution for recently celebrating its 60th Anniversary. 
Congratulations to the University of New Mexico College of Nursing; 
keep up the great work.

                          ____________________