(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - Dec. 16, 2014) - - - On Friday, Dec. 12, 53 new nursing graduates were pinned in a traditional ceremony held in Columbia State Community College's Webster Athletic Center.

"Our graduates are well prepared to enter the nursing profession as compassionate, skilled and knowledgeable caregivers," said Barbara Blum, Columbia State nursing director. "This was a close-knit class that worked well together and with others. They will be bringing qualities into the workplace that will serve them and nursing well in the future."

Columbia State nursing graduates recently completed four semesters of classroom instruction and ten credit hours of clinical instruction in order to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in nursing. Next, graduates must pass the National Council Licensure Examination in order to earn licensure, which is required to practice as a registered nurse.

The Columbia State nursing students' current first-attempt pass rate for the NCLEX is 95 percent, which surpasses the Tennessee average pass rate of 88.05 percent and the national rate of 82.86 percent.

Nursing students are trained to provide direct patient care in various areas, including medical, surgical, pediatrics and more. After graduation, these nurses will work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, schools and home health care settings.

The Columbia State nursing program is committed to excellence in nursing education. It has received full approval from the Tennessee Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. The program's four-year average graduate job placement rate is 95.2 percent.

Columbia State's nursing program has a competitive admission process with applicants admitted twice per year. For more information about applying to the program, contact Blum at (931) 540-2609 or bblum@ColumbiaState.edu, or visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/Nursing.

Photo Caption: Tia Gibson, Student Nursing Association immediate past president, smiles for the camera during the fall 2014 Columbia State Community College nursing pinning ceremony.

Photo Caption: Columbia State Community College nursing graduates light candles and recite the nursing pledge in honor of Florence Nightingale and all those who have worked diligently to promote the nursing profession.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, one of the largest higher education systems in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.

Tennessee's Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality, affordable, convenient and personal education to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals in two years or less. We offer associate degree and certificate programs, workforce development programs and transfer pathways to four-year degrees. For more information, please visit us online at tncommunitycolleges.org.