RCC ADN, CNA Graduates Achieve 100% Pass Rate on Exams

ASHEBORO (August 20, 2009)

Randolph Community College President Robert Shackleford congratulates Associate Degree Nursing students upon completion of their first year of nursing classes. Shackleford was the guest speaker at a celebratory luncheon.

Randolph Community College's recently graduated Associate Degree Nursing class completed their NCLEX-RN state board exams with a 100% pass rate. The news was announced recently during a surprise luncheon for first-year ADN students getting ready to advance to the second level of the program.

"This is an incredible achievement, made even more incredible by how far they have come in such a short time," said RCC President Robert Shackleford. "In the past couple of years, we have changed the admissions procedure, added an entrance exam, changed the teaching methodologies, received exceptional training for both our students and our faculty from a highly renowned consultant, made student success a specific goal for students as well as faculty, and many other significant changes. As a result, our student NCLEX board exam scores have made a very impressive improvement: 71% in 2006; 88% in 2007; 95% in 2008; 100% in 2009."

In addition, RCC's Certified Nursing Assistant class just had a 100% pass rate on their board exams. "We have had excellent scores in this program before," said Shackleford, "but remarkably, this was our first hybrid CNA class - partly taught in class and partly taught online. Even with this new format, they achieved a 100% pass rate." Shackleford noted that the CNA program also just completed their audit successfully, certifying the program for the next two years.

The late July nursing luncheon was held so the first-year instructors could say "goodbye" to the students, who began their second level nursing classes Aug. 17. Shackleford was a special guest speaker for the 25 Associate Degree Nursing students. He gave a motivational talk after congratulating the students on their accomplishment. Shackleford told the students he had a simple message, "Aim high, believe in yourself, and hang on to every piece of information you learn as if it was a gold nugget."

A special diamond-shaped plaque was presented to Christine Myers, who was previously department chair for health occupations, for her leadership role in pushing the program to a higher standard. Other special guests included Tremonteo Crawford, chief nursing officer at Randolph Hospital; George and Kathleen Banks, CEO and COO of Monolia's Healthcare Incorporated; Joyce McCarter, Ardys Magic International; Amy Ange, coordinator/instructor of RCC's Nursing Assistant program; and Marlana Hancock, current chair of the Health Sciences and Public Service Division at RCC.

Cieanna Hairston, the ADN instructor who helped organize the luncheon, said "All of our guests have been supporters of the nursing program through clinical sites, guest speakers, or potential healthcare individuals who may be able to employ our students after graduation." She also noted that the "surprise luncheon was another way of letting our students know that we celebrate the accomplishment they have made in the nursing program so far."