“Our nursing graduates have the knowledge and skill to provide safe, competent and patient-centered care,” said Cheryl Smith, Columbia State nursing program director. “The faculty and nurse graduates worked hard to reach this milestone. As a result, the lives of these graduates, their families, their friends and people in the community will benefit immensely.”
Columbia State nursing graduates completed four semesters of classroom instruction and 450 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 2019 Columbia State nursing students’ first-attempt pass rate for the NCLEX is 100 percent, which surpasses the Tennessee rate of 92.2 percent and the national rate of 88.3 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.
“Graduates of Columbia State’s nursing program are living evidence of the college’s mission in action: changing lives every day through teaching, learning and service,” said Dr. Kae Fleming, Columbia State dean of the Health Sciences Division and professor of radiologic technology. “The Fall 2019 graduating class have become part of the legacy of excellence and compassion.”
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 97.6 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 Smith at (931) 540-2609 or csmith56@ColumbiaState.edu, or visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/Nursing.