Spring semester graduates from Southern Regional Technical College’s (SRTC) Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program in Tifton achieved a 100% passage on their National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). The NCLEX exam is a standardized exam that each state board of nursing uses to determine whether or not a candidate is prepared for entry-level nursing practice. Chelsea Gandy of Adel, Elizabeth Lee of Eastman, Carly Horne of Moultrie, Veronica Hyman of Ocilla, Amanda Saunders of Omega, Kristen Story of Sycamore, Jacey Klaus of Sylvester, and Paul Arvizu, Kelly Halstead, Amber Johnson, Markel Nelms, and Daffanie Sims of Tifton completed coursework in late Spring. They were pinned in May of 2023 and are eligible to take part in the college’s commencement ceremony on July 27. Each graduate passed their board exam on the first attempt. This 100% first-attempt pass rate is a major accomplishment for this program and its students, as that percentage is well above the national average for nursing programs.
SRTC’s Nursing program has consistently exceeded the program’s goals with high rates of board exam passage as well as successful employment in the medical field. This Tifton cohort is the first to test under the newly revised test plan, used to better measure the student’s clinical judgment and decision-making through new test item types. The new test plan not only tests the student’s knowledge but also presents scenarios to test the critical decision-making and judgments along with prioritization that nurses will face in future work environments.
“We are ecstatic about the 100% passage rate for the 2023 Tifton cohort,” said SRTC’s Dean of Nursing Bobbie Hester, RN, MSN. “SRTC nursing faculty have worked diligently to prepare the ASN students for the new test item types and improve critical judgment and decision making. The dedication and hard work of the faculty and students attribute to the program’s success. Our faculty are dedicated to the student’s success in the nursing program. Our students enter the workforce prepared to provide quality nursing care.”
In addition to their remarkable pass rate, most of the graduates have already secured in-field job placement. Paul Arvizu now has a position in Southwell’s OR. Chelsea Gandy is working in South Georgia Medical Center’s ER. Kelly Halstead is working in Southwell’s Labor and Delivery department. Carly Horne has a positon with Colquitt Regional Medical Center’s Orthopedics team. Veronica Hyman is working with Phoebe Putney’s Acute Med Surg/Oncology unit. Amber Johnson has a position with Southwell’s Labor and Delivery/Mother and Baby team. Jacey Klaus is caring for patients on Colquitt Regional Medical Center’s Stepdown/ICU floor. Hannah Walker Milkas is with Southwell’s Cardiac/Stepdown unit. Markel Nelms is also working with Southwell’s Stepdown unit. Amanda Saunders is now with the Colquitt Regional Medical Center PCU. Daffanie Sims is working in Dialysis at Southwell. Finally, Kristen Story accepted a Critical Care Nurse Residency at the Mayo Clinic’s PCU in Jacksonville Fl.
SRTC offers over 150 degree, diploma, and certificate programs that are designed to get you quickly into your desired career, and 28 general education courses that transfer to the University System of Georgia institutions and 19 private colleges and universities in Georgia. SRTC has instructional sites located in eleven counties across Southwest Georgia for the convenience of our students. The College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). SACSCOC is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. For the most up-to-date information on registration, class dates, and program offerings, log on to www.southernregional.edu or call (888) 205 – 3449.