Nursing & Allied Health welcomed 56 students to its highly acclaimed nursing program with an Orientation Day late last month.

Admission into the two-year Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS) in Nursing program is an accomplishment in itself. There were 101 qualified applicants this year, meaning nearly half of these students will need to reapply for admission if they want another opportunity to be part of the successful program.

Students who apply are ranked according to a point system. Points are earned for their grades in prerequisite and corequisite science classes, as well as other necessary classes taken prior to admission. Applicants are also awarded a point for being a Nevada resident.

Students who are applying for admission need to keep their goal in sight and not lose track of that, said WNC Nursing & Allied Health Interim Director Deborah Ingraffia-Strong said. If their goal is to become a registered nurse, it just might take a little longer.

Because science classes are weighted more heavily than others, Ingraffia-Strong recommends that students retake them to earn the highest grade possible. No grade lower than a C is accepted.

Although the curriculum for the program is the same this year, instructors and professors will integrate new Laerdal high fidelity simulation manikins provided through grant funding.

The manikins actually breathe, sweat and blink, Ingraffia-Strong said.

Between the second and third semesters in the program, many of the nursing students are hired at the clinical sites where they train.

Because of workforce shortages, many employers have increased their number of nursing apprenticeships, Ingraffia-Strong said. As nursing apprentices, they can do quite a bit, like give medication as they work as nurses within the scope that the Nevada Board of Nursing has defined for them.

Two new instructors are helping students reach their potential: Susan Ward and Irene Jen Schiller. Ward returns as a full-time instructor to fill Ingraffia-Strongs position and Schiller has an esteemed background as a working nurse, including serving in a New York emergency room during the health pandemic.

For the nursing students who continue through the program and graduate, their future prospects are outstanding. Nearly 97 percent of graduates who successfully earn their Nevada RN license, land jobs immediately.

For more information about the program and what is needed to qualify, phone 775-445-4425 or email alliedhealth@wnc.edu.