Two local hospitals, Arlington Memorial and Harris Methodist Fort Worth, employ more than 200 UTA grads between them. And given the demand for nurses, they're always looking for more. "Every year we recruit nursing students," said Debbie Gingles, assistant director of human resources at Arlington Memorial. "UTA has very good nursing students, and the staff there is very good at instructing them. We put them all through an internship program in an area they're interested in, and they're prepared for it."

Arlington Memorial Hospital is one of the area's largest employers of UTA's in-demand nursing graduates.

Arlington Memorial, with one location only a few blocks north of the campus, hires UTA students as interns before they graduate so it already has them on board. The hospital works around their schooling.

And Harris works with their schooling, offering scholarships and prospects of employment. Alumna Mary Robinson ('82 BSN) is the regional director of clinical education at Harris, and she has seen UTA alumni take positions in every department, from information technology to human resources and social work to primary care.

Although they tackle different workdays, they have one thing in common.

"They're all well-prepared for their roles," Robinson said. "It's a challenge to come out [of school] completely ready to hit the ground running, but UTA provides a very firm foundation for skills and knowledge."

Robinson would heartily recommend Harris to any of her fellow alumni. "The best thing is the quality of care and the employees you work with."

Lori Dachroeden has a similar view of her employer, Arlington Memorial, where she heads the outcomes management department. She has worked at the hospital since she graduated from UTA in 1984.

"There's a real sense of commitment from the organization," she said. "The leadership supports the employees with whatever they need."

Many of those employees went to school with Dachroeden, and many still follow in her footsteps. Current UTA students frequent the hospital in clinical rotations, and apparently they catch on fast.

"Being in a new place, there are lots of new things to learn. But they have a good understanding of basic things," Dachroeden said. "They're prepared to take care of patients. I believe they're excellent nurses.

"It's great having a lot of people from UTA. Of course, I may be a little prejudiced."

– DW