Covenant School of Nursing: All You Need to know

If you’ve been looking to work in Covenant Health (the largest health care institution in the West Texas and New Mexico region), then attending Covenant School of Nursing might be your easiest route.

The competition among registered nurses to secure jobs after graduating from nursing school is intense. But when you attend a nursing school that has systems already in place to give you that job, you’ll feel happy and relaxed. Covenant provides you that opportunity and more.

Read on to find out important details you might want to know about Covenant nursing. You’ll know about the programs and their costs, the admission requirements, and the process of application.

You’ll also find out about other top nursing schools in Texas.

Let’s get right into it.

An Overview of Covenant School of Nursing

Covenant School of Nursing (CSON) is a private, Catholic college in Lubbock, Texas. Being the oldest nursing school in the South Plains area of Texas, CSON has gone on to train over 3700 nurses since it began operations in 1918.

With a current undergraduate population of 353, CSON proves that it is dedicated to giving students the most personalized learning experience. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1, which is far below the maximum national ratio of 22:1.

CSON is affiliated with Covenant Health, which is a member of Providence Health, one of the largest not-for-profit health systems in the United States.

Covenant Health provides healthcare services to 62 counties in the Texas area, which has a population of about 1.2 million people. It is in charge of these medical facilities in Lubbock – Covenant Medical Center, Covenant Specialty Hospital, and Covenant Children’s Hospital.

These hospitals are so big that they have a combined bed space of 977 and over 5000 employees. They also have an average daily patient census of 400.  

Related Articles:

Cochran School of Nursing: All You Need to Know

Emory School of Nursing: All You Need to Know

What Programs Does Covenant School of Nursing Offer?

The Covenant School of Nursing offers two main nursing programs – the diploma in nursing and the Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) to Registered Nurse (RN) program.

Diploma in Nursing

This is a 64-weeks nursing program that leads to a diploma in nursing. It also prepares you to be eligible for the National Council Licensure Examination for registered nurses (NCLEX-RN).

CSON ensures you have all you need to go into the healthcare field as a practicing nurse. You’ll go through rigorous training programs and learn from several healthcare experts.

Apart from the theoretical classes, you’ll undergo clinical sessions at the many clinical facilities of Covenant Health.  

LVN-to-RN program

If you already have a license as a vocational nurse and wish to become a registered nurse, this program is for you. This is a 27-weeks accelerated program that prepares you to function efficiently as a registered nurse.

You’ll have 14 weeks of integrated didactic education and another 13 weeks of clinical training in specialties like pediatrics, mental health, and obstetrics/gynecology.

This is a very rigorous program that requires you to complete several classroom, lab, and clinical courses before you’ll be eligible to sit for the NCLEX examination.

What are the Admission Requirements for Covenant School of Nursing?

Here are the admission requirements for Covenant School of Nursing:

General Requirements

• All official high school and post-secondary education transcripts
• Immunization verification document
• A photocopy of your driver’s license or ID
• $50 application fee
• Proof of permanent residency (Covenant School of Nursing has no provision for international students currently)
• Letter of standing
• Letter of eligibility from the Texas Board of Nursing

Diploma Requirements

Applicable general requirements and the following prerequisites:

• English I
• English II
• Human Growth and Development
• Nutrition
• Chemistry (with lab)
• Human Anatomy & Physiology I (with lab)
• Human Anatomy & Physiology II (with lab)
• Microbiology (with lab)

You also need to attain the following pass scores in the entrance examination organized by the HESI:

• A minimum of 70% pass rate in English
• Minimum of 65% pass rate in Math
• Minimum of 60% pass rate in Science

LVN-to-RN Requirements

• A valid LVN license to practice in Texas
• The college prerequisites listed above
• A minimum of 6 months of experience as an LVN
• If you graduated from LVN school more than two years ago, a minimum of one year of experience as an LVN in the last three years is required

This article will show you 10 Common Prerequisites for Nursing School You Should Know

What is the Admission Process at Covenant School of Nursing?

Here is the admission application process at Covenant School of Nursing:

• You have to complete an online application for your preferred program
• Submit all the required documents
• Pay a non-refundable fee of $50
• Register and take your HESI examination assessment
• Print out your HESI examination assessment scores and put them in your application packet
• Submit your application packet in person (ensure it’s in a manila envelope) to the address: 1919 Frankford Ave., Lubbock, Texas 79407
• If you wish to mail your application packet, ensure the admissions unit receives it before the deadline.
• Once the admission unit receives your application, it will be processed within four weeks after the application deadline.

What is the Cost of Nursing at the Covenant School of Nursing?

• The total tuition for the Diploma program is $13,867
• The total estimated cost for books is $1,550
• The total estimated cost for uniform is $200
• The total tuition for the LVN-to-BSN program is $10,625

Other minor costs can be seen on the school’s website. 

Other Nursing Schools in Texas

Here are five top nursing schools in Texas, the state where Covenant School of Nursing is located:

1. University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) is a highly-placed public research university in Austin. It offers several academic programs, and its nursing programs rank among the best in the nation.

UT Austin offers both traditional and accelerated nursing programs to its students, from baccalaureate to doctorate programs. It has a unique program for those with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline but wish to pursue an RN and MSN program at UT Austin. It also offers a similar program for those who wish to pursue a PhD in nursing.

All programs at UT Austin have full accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

With an acceptance rate of 32% and an SAT score requirement of 1210-1470, UT Austin is a tough school to get into.

2. Texas Christian University

Texas Christian University (TCU) offers some of the best nursing programs in the state of Texas. It is a private research university affiliated with the Christian church, Disciples of Christ.

TCU’s baccalaureate degree in nursing, master’s degree in nursing, doctor of nursing practice, and post-graduate programs have full accreditation from CCNE. Upon admission into TCU’s school of nursing, you’ll be assigned a career consultant who will ensure you get the best guidance.

TCU has an acceptance rate of 48% and an SAT score requirement of 1110-1320.

3. Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University (Texas A&M) is the flagship university of the Texas A&M University system. It is a public land-grant university in College Station, Texas.

Texas A&M offers three undergraduate programs, three master’s programs, one doctor of nursing practice program, and a certificate program. Its faculty dedicate time to attend to the individual needs of each student. All programs at Texas A&M have full accreditation from the CCNE.

Texas A&M makes it easy for applicants to get admissions into its programs, as its SAT score range is 1160-1380. It also has an acceptance rate of 63%.

4. Texas Woman’s University

Texas Woman’s University (TWU) was founded with the goal of providing specialized education for women. However, several years later, it began to offer admission to men.

TWU’s nursing school ranks among the best nursing schools in Texas and the nation at large. It offers an array of nursing programs in different formats to its students. For instance, it offers the undergraduate program in evening, RN-to-BSN and traditional formats. There’s also the DNP-PhD Bridge.

All of TWU’s nursing programs have full accreditation from the CCNE.

With an acceptance rate of 94% and an SAT score requirement of 930-1130, TWU is relatively easy to get into.

5. Baylor University

Baylor University is a Baptist affiliated private research university in Waco, Texas. The School has made significant investments in the education of nurses.

Apart from delivering quality classroom education to nurses, Baylor has over 150 professional nursing practice sites within the Dallas communities. It believes that its nurses are called to make a difference with their skills and spiritual knowledge.

Baylor offers several nursing programs that are fully accredited by the CCNE. It has an acceptance rate of 68% and an SAT score requirement of 1200-1380.

6. University of Texas at Arlington

The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) is one of the best public research universities in the United States. UTA has several awards from reputable organizations that rank its nursing programs as being of international standard.

Students have a variety of nursing programs to choose from at UTA. UTA offers two pathways to earn the BSN degree. There’s the pre-licensure BSN program and the post-licensure RN-BSN program. It also offers accelerated and traditional programs in its undergraduate and graduate programs.

All nursing programs at UTA have full accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

With an acceptance rate of 88% and an SAT score requirement of 1050-1250, UTA is one of the easiest universities to get into in the US.

Also read:

The 10 Best Nursing Schools in Pennsylvania

Top 10 Nursing Schools to Attend in the USA

Conclusion on Covenant School of Nursing Review

Just a very few nursing schools have the clinical affiliations that Covenant School of Nursing has. CSON doesn’t just give its students the best nursing practice experience; it also ensures they have jobs after graduation.

I hope this article has answered all the questions you have about Covenant School of Nursing. So, if you stay in the West Texas area, and you wish to work in any of the Covenant Health medical facilities, you already know that CSON could be your best route.

Getting into nursing school will need you to have a knowledge of these 30 Most Common Nursing School Interview Questions. Do not also forget to find out How to Write a Letter of Recommendation for Nursing School.

Frequently Asked Questions About Covenant School of Nursing

Recommendations

• Top 8 Nursing Schools in the World
• 15 Affordable Gifts for Nursing School Graduates
• Top 15 Scholarships for Nursing School Students You Should Know
• Top Medical Schools In Illinois: How To Get In
• Best Medical Schools In Massachusetts
• The Top 8 Nursing Schools in Massachusetts