PHSSN Students

Education Grounded in Care, Leadership and Service

At PHSSN, students learn in a close-knit environment that combines clinical preparation, compassionate care, leadership, and service.

Our Mission

Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing develops nurses and other healthcare providers through education enlightened by Christian principles to lead, serve and influence the holistic needs of a complex global society.

Our Goals

PHSSN’s institutional and baccalaureate goals guide how we educate, support and prepare students for professional nursing practice.

School-wide commitments

Evidence-based education: Deliver a holistic nursing education enlightened by Christian principles.

Professional standards: Provide nursing programs that adhere to the standards of nursing practice.

High-quality care: Prepare professional and advanced practice nurses to serve diverse populations in varied settings.

Community collaboration: Work with communities of interest to address regional and global healthcare needs.

A culture of service: Engage in service to the profession, the University and the broader community.

Baccalaureate program goals

Licensure and practice: Graduate well-prepared BSN students who can earn RN licensure and transition successfully into professional nursing.

Safe, informed care: Build practice on inquiry, evidence, caring and professional standards.

Readiness for change: Prepare students to practice within a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.

Interdisciplinary teamwork: Develop the collaborative skills needed to participate effectively on healthcare teams.

Modern learning resources: Use current equipment, resources and teaching methods to advance program outcomes.

Individual support: Help students progress from enrollment through graduation with responsive human and material resources.
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Our History

PHSSN’s story is rooted in the growth of healthcare and faith-based higher education in Abilene. Across changing names and partnerships, its purpose has remained focused on preparing nurses to serve their communities.

1924
West Texas Baptist Sanitarium opened through the combined efforts of Dr. Millard Jenkins and Dr. Jefferson D. Sandefer.
1930s
During the Great Depression, the hospital became Hendrick Memorial Hospital and the school became Hendrick Memorial Hospital School of Nursing.
1970
The school was renamed Mary Meeks School of Nursing.
1981
Three faith-based universities in Abilene and Hendrick Medical Center formed a consortium, creating the Abilene Intercollegiate School of Nursing.
2005
The school became Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing, the name it carries today.
2025
During the school’s centennial year, McMurry University announced full ownership of PHSSN, strengthening its commitment to the future of nursing education in West Texas.

Approved and Accredited

The undergraduate nursing program holds full approval from the Texas Board of Nursing. The baccalaureate nursing program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
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