Fourteen students in inaugural class
BARBOURVILLE, Ky. (Sept. 9, 2016) — All 14 of Union College’s pre-licensure nursing graduates have earned full licensure to practice as registered nurses. The group of students entered the program in 2012 as Union’s inaugural class.
“Having all of your inaugural class pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for Registered Nurses is just unheard of,” said Dr. Marisa Greer, Union’s Dean of Nursing. “This speaks volumes as to how well this program is organized, the passion our nursing instructors have for teaching and the fortitude of our students in becoming the best in their profession.”
Greer says all of the students that interviewed for nursing positions were offered jobs prior to graduation and issued provisional licenses to practice. At this point, Union’s inaugural class is 100 percent nationally certified and 100 percent employed.
Eleven students will work in the tri-county area around Union College, while the other three will practice out of the state in their hometowns.
Union College established the Edna Jenkins Mann School of Nursing in 2010. At that time, registered nurses could enter the program to obtain their Bachelor of Science in Nursing. In 2012, Union launched the pre-licensure phase of the program allowing students to earn a traditional four-year degree in nursing.
In 2016, the Edna Jenkins Mann School of Nursing was expanded to include a fully online RN-BSN program to accommodate working nurses throughout the region. Union’s programs are accredited by the Southern Association of College and Schools, Commission on Colleges; the Kentucky Council on Post-Secondary Education and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Currently, Union College has 106 students enrolled in the pre-licensure BSN program, 30 of which are on track to graduate in the next two years, and 33 students enrolled in the RN-BSN program.
The Class of 2016 graduated in May, each receiving a bachelor’s degree in nursing. National licensure is the final stage of their entry into a career in nursing. Once students graduate, it is up to each student to independently schedule the NCLEX exam and work toward licensure. Greer said the first student gained licensure in June, while the last student in the group was granted licensure on Sept. 6.
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