FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2003 PRACTICAL NURSING CLASS

PASS STATE BOARD EXAMS!

 DANVILLE, VA., October 23, 2003 -- There’s good reason to celebrate at Danville Community College today -- the 2003 Practical Nursing Class had a 100 percent pass rate on the state boards. What’s more -- all of the new graduates have obtained jobs and are working in the nursing field.

Paula Kimpton, Associate Professor of Practical Nursing, said the graduates concluded studies this past July, and most took the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN), administered by the Virginia Board of Nursing.  Two of the graduates took their NCLEX-PN from the North Carolina Board of Nursing.

“They are now licensed practical nurses, and we are so proud of this class,” Kimpton said. “It is believed that this is the first time an entire class has passed the state boards in Danville Community College’s history.”  

The Class of 2003 also included the 1,000^th program graduate and the group participated in the program’s first alumni reunion in July. Kimpton said this year’s class included a lot of hard-working students who will be an asset wherever they work. With the exception of three of the graduates, all are working in the Danville Community College service region of Danville, Pittsylvania County, and Halifax County. The other three are employed in North Carolina and Georgia.

The 21 graduates are: Ronda Bailey, Pamela Clark, Sharronda Edmunds, Charlotte Ferguson, Judith Hart, Jane Haynes, Stephanie Lewis, Karen McNeill and Bertha Mease, all of Danville; Renae Allen, Axton; Stephanie Hedrick, Ringgold; Christy Marlow, Callands; Arnitha Price, Chatham; Vickie Shively, Axton; Kelly Walker, Dana Whitlow, and Lisa Zavala, all of Dry Fork; Joan W. Shelton, Stuart; Alicia Watson, Sutherlin; and Priscilla Cassady and Janet Webster, both of Pelham, NC.

The practical nursing program is a one-year program leading to a Certificate. It is a rigorous program designed to prepare graduates with the skills and knowledge to care for clients of all age groups. Graduates of this curriculum have employment opportunities in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, childcare centers, Civil Service, doctors’ offices, industries and private duty nursing.

In addition to Kimpton, other program instructors include: full time instructor Tammy McKinney and adjunct instructors: Ethel Hite and Luci Satterfield. For more information about the Practical Nursing program, contact Kimpton at (434) 773-3011, or email pkimpton@dcc.vccs.edu.