Tag: Nursing

Licensed Practical Nursing students posing during pinning ceremony

Practical Nursing Program Maintains Perfect Pass Rate

October 8, 2024 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College’s Practical Nursing (PN) program in Rolla is celebrating another outstanding accomplishment: a perfect 100 percent pass rate on the Summer 2024 licensure exam.

All nine graduates not only passed the exam but also exceeded the state and national average pass rate, further enhancing ECC’s reputation for excellence in nursing education.

This year’s graduates are the second class to complete the PN program under ECC’s sponsorship, following the equally impressive performance of the 2023 cohort, who also achieved a 100 percent pass rate.

The licensure exam, known as the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN), is a standardized test that all practical nursing graduates must pass to become Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN). By earning this certification, graduates are qualified to enter the workforce as LPNs, where they can pursue higher wages and take on greater responsibilities in patient care.

“The success of the 2024 graduates is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and resilience throughout the program,” said Michelle Chick, Practical Nursing Program Director.

“Many of these students balanced demanding work schedules and family responsibilities while completing their studies, which is no small feat,” she added. “The nursing faculty and I are extremely proud of each graduate, and we are confident they will make significant contributions to both the nursing profession and the local community.”

Missouri’s average pass rate for first-time NCLEX-PN test takers in the first half of 2024 is 94.23 percent. Nationally, the year-to-date pass rate stands at 89.82 percent. ECC’s PN graduates not only surpassed these benchmarks but demonstrated exceptional readiness for their future roles as healthcare professionals.

The NCLEX-PN exam evaluates nursing knowledge and skills, ensuring that graduates are competent to provide safe and effective patient care in various healthcare settings. It also tests critical thinking and clinical judgment—skills that are essential for success in the nursing field.

The nine graduates from ECC’s 2024 PN program are:

Shelby Pogue
Alexandra Ferguson
Emma Politte
Cassidy Cunningham
Jessie Ball
Jessica Cook
Samantha Roman
Katelyn Schafer
Brandy Barnes

ECC’s Practical Nursing program is a three-semester, 11-month course that includes hands-on clinical experience. Graduates earn a certificate of completion and are then eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam.

Since taking over sponsorship of the program from the Rolla School District in October 2021, ECC has continued to expand and improve its nursing education offerings. This transition allowed the Rolla School District to concentrate on K-12 education, while ECC focused on enhancing the quality and accessibility of the PN program.

For more information about ECC’s Practical Nursing program, visit www.eastcentral.edu/allied-health/licensed-practical-nursing or contact Nancy Mitchell, Dean of Health Science, at Nancy.Mitchell@eastcentral.edu or 636-584-6619.

Eoloff to Address ECC Class of 2024

April 21, 2024 | Campus News ECC Rolla

Eric Eoloff, President of Mercy Washington and Lincoln communities, will deliver the commencement address at East Central College’s graduation ceremony on May 11. Since 2016, Eoloff has served in his role at Mercy Washington, the largest employer in Franklin County, overseeing the operations of Mercy’s clinics and hospital in the Four Rivers area.

ECC’s 54th Commencement ceremony will be inside the College gym in the Donald D. Shook Student Center on the Union campus, starting at noon. Attendees are urged to be in the gym by noon. There will be no entry once the processional begins.

In anticipation of the ceremony, Eoloff expressed his appreciation for ECC and its role in nurturing professionals across various career paths.

He emphasized the college’s focus on practical training and partnerships with local facilities, which not only prepare students for success but also contribute to the overall health consciousness of the community.

“I greatly appreciate East Central College in our community for its commitment to nurturing talent,” Eoloff said. “The college’s emphasis on practical training and partnerships ensures a pipeline of skilled professionals and fosters a sense of community health consciousness that aligns seamlessly with our hospital’s mission.”

Furthermore, Eoloff highlighted Mercy’s longstanding partnership with ECC, facilitating the delivery of healthcare services in Franklin County and neighboring areas. He expressed eagerness to recruit ECC graduates, citing their readiness and often, prior experience in clinical settings.

“Mercy enjoys our longstanding partnership with ECC. It allows more services to be delivered locally here in greater Franklin County and neighboring counties. We are eager to hire ECC graduates because they come to us well-prepared and, quite often, already experienced in our settings.”

Background on Eoloff

Before assuming his current position, Eoloff held various leadership positions within Mercy, including Chief Operating Officer of Mercy Hospital St. Louis and President of Mercy Laboratories. His extensive tenure at Mercy, a healthcare system spanning 45 acute care hospitals and over 1,000 physician practices across multiple states, reflects his commitment to advancing excellence.

He holds a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oregon. Eoloff is dedicated to fostering talent in the field and serves as a distinguished leader.

Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, Eric and his wife, Gina, have six children and three grandchildren.

For more information about the commencement ceremony and East Central College, visit www.eastcentral.edu.

ECC LPN to RN Bridge Students Recognized With Awards

December 15, 2023 | Campus News ECC Rolla

Three East Central College Rolla nursing graduates were recognized for outstanding work in clinicals and in the classroom.

Kathrine Crider, Jessica Veloz and Brianna Courtney each were recognized Dec. 12 during a pinning ceremony for LPN to RN Bridge graduates.

There were 11 nursing graduates taking part in the pinning ceremony, which is held to recognize licensed practical nurses who continued their education to become registered nurses:

Stevie German, Shelly Gibson, Tina Feth, Jessica Veloz, Amy Hiatt, Kathrine Crider, Shelby Marler, Brianna Courtney, Emily Chastain, Tara Smith and Tanya Bausch.

Outstanding Student Nurse

Kathrine Crider received the ECC Outstanding Student Nurse award.

“She is an extraordinary person who is organized, determined, efficient, and well rounded. She is willing to adapt and jump into new learning experiences and push herself to have clinical experiences that are different than was she is used to,” Crider’s nomination read.

“She seeks out learning experiences that will help her grow and succeed in the field of nursing. She is highly successful in the clinical setting. She is a phenomenal addition to this clinical rotation and is always willing to ask questions to improve her learning.

“She is kind and willing to help a fellow student when needed. For these reasons and many more, this student will succeed and be a wonderful asset to the profession of nursing.”

To be considered for the Outstanding Nursing Student award, ECC has had to make a significant difference in the life of the student.

Spirit of Clinical Excellence

The awards for Spirit of Clinical Excellence in Nursing are presented to graduating nurses who demonstrate characteristics of caring and compassion, the spirit of inquiry, exceptional critical thinking and decision making and have superior organizational skills and the ability to effectively prioritize.

MoBap Spirit of Excellence

Brianna Courtney received the Missouri Baptist Spirit of Clinical Excellence in Nursing Award because she is a great example of a compassionate nurse both in the classroom and clinical setting.

“She has excelled with showing care and compassion from day one. She has incredible critical thinking and is able to successfully prioritize all the many demands of life and nursing school,” her nomination read.

“This student was great to work with and is very eager to learn and doesn’t shy away from the new or intimidating stuff. This student was very comfortable at the bedside and took great care when communicating with patients. For these reasons and for many more there is no question that this student will make an excellent RN and be a lovely addition to any nursing unit.”

Phelps Spirit of Excellence

Jessica Veloz is the recipient of the Phelps Health Spirit of Clinical Excellence in Nursing Award due to her compassion, commitment, eagerness, and integrity to the profession of nursing.

“She is quietly assertive and develops a rapport with her patients, their families, and the staff making sure that their needs were met. She did not shy away from challenges, but rather exceled when the opportunities arose,” states her nomination form.

“She has displayed an abundance of compassion and patient- centered care in all areas of clinical rotations. She is dedicated to quality, and safe patient care, and insists on the patients receiving this. She does a great job with putting knowledge into clinical practice and she is a good team player. Her kind, positive attitude, desire to seek out learning experiences, and following protocol are great attributes that she possesses.”

To learn more about the ECC Nursing and Allied Health program, visit www.eastcentral.edu/nursing/, or contact Nancy Mitchell at Nancy.Mitchell@eastcentral.edu.

Back row, from left, are Nancy Mitchell, Dean of Health Sciences & Director of Nursing, Joannie Blakely, Rolla nursing coordinator, Stevie German, Shelly Gibson, Tina Feth, Jessica Veloz, Amy Hiatt, and Julie Chirban, LPN to RN Bridge instructor. Front row., from left, are Lavonda Lawson, Rolla administrative assistant, Kathrine Crider, Shelby Marler, Brianna Courtney, Emily Chastain, Tara Smith, Tanya Bausch, Trista Elias, nursing faculty.

Nursing Students and Faculty Attend MLN Convention

May 2, 2023 | Campus News ECC Rolla

Students and faculty members from the East Central College Nursing program recently attended the Missouri League for Nursing (MLN) 10^th Annual Nursing Student Convention.

At the convention, Union nursing student Nathaniel Temme, was awarded the MLN Student Scholarship for 2023. This is the third consecutive year that an ECC nursing student received an MLN scholarship.

ECC Nursing program instructor Brittany Clark described Temme as a “driven and determined student.”

“He maintains positive relationships with his peers and nursing faculty,” Clark said. “When in the clinical environment, Nathaniel always promotes patient safety and is able to effectively and efficiently provide nursing care.”

“He will be a great asset to any health care organization and the profession of nursing,” she added.

Students also took on leadership positions within the MLN, including Union student Scottia Burrows and Rolla student Kelsea Smith, who were selected as Student Ambassadors for the statewide organization.

Rolla Nursing instructor Jon Elias, left, and Rolla Nursing Program Coordinator Joannie Blakely, right, are pictured with Kelsea Smith, who was selected as a Student Ambassador for the Missouri League for Nursing (MLN) during the 10th Annual Nursing Student Convention.

Union Nursing Program instructor Brittany Clark, left, is pictured with Scottia Burrows, who was selected as a Student Ambassador for the Missouri League for Nursing (MLN) during the 10th Annual Nursing Student Convention.

Nursing faculty members also attended the MLN conference, including Brittany Clark, Judy Bieker, Joannie Blakely, Jon Elias and Dr. Connie Wissbaum, who presented on the “Strategies for a Flipped Classroom.”

MLN is a not-for-profit organization established in 1953 to support the delivery of quality health care by nurses and other health care providers through education, collaboration and information.

It is the leading organization for promoting excellent health care through programs designed to meet members and health care professional’s continuing educational needs.

MLN is committed to collaboration and networking with other professional organizations and coalitions across the state. It is one of the top constituent leagues in the nation.

Nursing instructor Dr. Connie Wissbaum, presented on the “Strategies for a Flipped Classroom.”

ECC Rolla to Host Health Careers Exploration Day

February 24, 2023 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College in Rolla will host a Health Careers Exploration Day to provide area high school students with a hands-on learning experience about the College’s Allied Health programs.

The event will be Wednesday, March 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at ECC Main in the Rolla Technical Center.

Joannie Blakely, Rolla Nursing Program Coordinator, said there will be opportunities for high school students to explore each of ECC Rolla’s Allied Health programs — Nursing, Paramedic Technology, Radiologic Technology and Surgical Technology.

“The students will participate in hands-on modules, and we also will have an interactive simulation with the students,” she said. “Rolla has never hosted this type of event, so we are excited to bring it here. Our faculty, students and staff will be participating in the activities.”

To participate, RSVP to Blakely by March 1, at joannie.blakely@eastcentral.edu or 573-202-6948.

ECC Nursing Students Hold Clinical Orientation Day

October 17, 2022 | Campus News

For the first-year East Central College nursing students, last week’s Clinical Orientation Day was a major step in their journey into the health care field.

The students were in full uniform Tuesday, Oct. 11, to start clinicals — a vital, hands-on portion of the nursing program curriculum.

This is the first semester in the ECC Nursing program for these students, who were photographed during their Fundamentals of Nursing course.

The classroom and clinical components of the curriculum are interrelated to provide a strong background for students to become safe and competent practitioners.

ECC offers two programs leading to an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing, which prepare students to become registered nurses.

To learn more about the ECC Nursing program, visit www.eastcentral.edu/allied-health/nursing, or email Nancy Mitchell, Director of Nursing and Dean of Health Science, at Nancy.Mitchell@eastcentral.edu.

ECC Sees Enrollment Increase for the Fall 2021 Semester

September 21, 2021 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

More students are enrolled at East Central College than during each of the past two fall semesters.

Enrollment is up 2.5 percent in total student headcount in the fall 2021 semester compared to the fall 2020 semester.

There are 2,657 students enrolled this fall compared to 2,593 to the 2020 fall semester, a difference of 64 students, according to data compiled by the college’s institutional research department.

ECC also saw an increase of 5 percent in the number of credit hours taken this year. In the fall 2021 students enrolled in 25,868 credit hours compared to 24,633 in the fall of 2020. That is an increase of 1,235 credit hours.

“This is great news for East Central College. The enrollment numbers reflect the quality of our academic offerings,” said ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer. “Students choose a college because of the knowledge and skills they will gain from their experience.”

The College saw increases in several areas, including dual credit, dual technical credit, first time and transfer students.

First-time degree seeking students are also up 7.3 percent this fall. There are 694 first-time degree seekers this year compared to 647 in 2020, an increase of 47 students, according to unofficial results.

“Enrollment is up because of the great work of our faculty and staff. It takes a comprehensive effort, including marketing, advising and counseling, financial assistance, teaching, scheduling, facilities, and more,” Bauer added.

“The enrollment numbers are tangible results of this work and the quality of what we provide.”

The headcount and credit hours for the 2021 fall semester are also higher in comparison to the 2019 fall semester, the last fall semester before the COVID-19 pandemic. ECC’s enrollment increase comes at a time when community college enrollment is trending down.

According to Robyn Walter, vice president of academic affairs, recruitment and retainment of students are just two of many factors that have boosted enrollment.

“We credit a myriad of efforts, to not only retain students, but to bring back those that withdrew this spring, as well as attracting new students,” she said. “ECC responded to students’ request for more in-person class options, and developed a course schedule with a variety of course delivery methods.

“We continue to offer student-centered instruction with highly qualified faculty and academic support services,” Walter added.

Top Ten Programs

A majority of ECC students are planning to complete their Associate of Arts degree, while others are looking to directly begin their career upon completion of their program’s certificate and/or degree.

Below is a list of the top 10 programs for the fall 2021 semester:

Associate of Arts: 1,248
Nursing: 88
Education: 82
Pre-Engineering: 51
Computer Information System: 51
EMT-Paramedic: 45
HVAC-R: 39
Industrial Engineering Technology: 39
Fine Arts: 36
Culinary Arts: 30

‘Earn While You Learn’ Nursing Program Expanding

August 9, 2021 | Campus News

The East Central College Nursing Program’s “Earn While You Learn” (EWYL) initiative has been leading the way in Missouri as a successful partnership among the college and its health care partners.

EWYL allows for ECC nursing students to earn a paycheck from local hospitals while they are conducting clinicals as part of the nursing program. In return, the students sign on to work at the hospitals after they graduate.

What began as a pilot program, Earn While You Learn just recently was fully approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing, which will allow for ECC’s program to expand and other colleges to follow suit.

The nursing board’s decision came after Nancy Mitchell, director of nursing and dean of health science at ECC, and Heather Sluis, clinical educator at Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital (MBSH), presented at the Missouri Hospital Association “Innovations in Student Nurse Clinical Education Partnerships” event held in June.

The pair presented details to attendees about ECC’s successful partnership program, which benefits nursing students and two of ECC’s health care partners — MBSH and Mercy Hospital Washington.

EWYL Details

The students must be in their fourth, and final, semester of the associate degree in nursing (ADN) to participate in the program.

During their last semester, student nurses will earn a wage while learning hands-on, real-world practices, all while being immersed in the culture of nursing and the health care institution, Mitchell said.

In return, the students sign a contract to work after they graduate with the hospital where they are conducting clinical training.

Growing Program

In 2020, ECC first placed students in MBSH and Mercy Hospital Washington as part of the Earn While You Learn program.

While approving the curricular change, the state nursing board gave the ECC Nursing program approval to partner with Phelps Health in Rolla to offer the same clinical partnership.

The partnership is much more than providing nursing students an income and getting them accustomed to a hospital culture, it also greatly benefits the health care partners.

“This allows the students to become embedded in the culture early on, and it will decrease the cost to orientate them later,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell noted that MBHS saved about $50,000 in training and orientation costs with three student apprentices.

There has been an increased interest statewide, and beyond, in the EWYL initiative to combat nursing shortages and reduce new nurse turnover rates. Most recently, Washington School of Practical Nursing and Mercy Washington have developed a partnership mirroring ECC’s to offer the EWYL to practical nursing students.

“Our goal is to provide our students the best educational experience possible as well as keep these great nurses in our community caring for our community members,” Mitchell said.

“One does this by building relationships and partnerships with your community and your partner hospitals. We invest in one another, to invest in our community,” she added.

Learn more about the nursing degree options at ECC.

Rolla Nursing Student Finds Time for Education

May 4, 2021 | Campus News ECC Rolla

Many people have asked when Carli Nesheim, Cuba, finds the time to eat, let alone attend classes at East Central College.

“I eat in my car on my way to class or on my way back to work from class. I have just enough time to drive to ECC, go to class and drive back to work on my lunch break, so I make it work!” explained Nesheim.

Nesheim attends class while also working full-time at Phelps Health Hospital in Rolla as a licensed practical nurse. Her educational background includes attending ECC directly after graduating high school, going through the LPN program at the Waynesville Career Center, taking classes for a semester at Drury University, and then making her way back to ECC.

“I came to ECC right after high school but ultimately wasn’t ready for college. We had a family tragedy, and I wasn’t in the right mindset yet,” Nesheim stated.

Nesheim’s passion for nursing was sparked by a family tragedy.

“When my Mom was in the ICU, I saw the care the nurses were providing her. That really made me want to go into the field.”

“I want to be one of the nurses that patients or their families remember having a good experience with during their stay in the hospital. I want to have that positive impact on people,” said Nesheim.

Nesheim received her LPN license from the Waynesville career center but her passion for nursing encouraged her to pursue further nursing licensure. She decided to become an RN and wanted to return to ECC to do so.

“After taking a couple of classes at Drury, I decided to come back to ECC. After I finish my prerequisite classes, I hope to do the RN Bridge program. When I graduate from ECC, I want to go for my BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing),” Nesheim explained.

Ultimately, Nesheim would like to be a nurse on the surgery/orthopedic floor or an operating room circulating nurse. She is currently working at the general surgery clinic and would like to stay on at Phelps Health after she graduates.

She recognizes she has a lot of hard work ahead of her but knows that coming back to East Central College was a great step in making her dream happen.

“The advisors here at ECC have been really great. They’ve been super helpful in letting me know what I need and what I am missing now that I am back. They have made it a smooth transition for me,” Nesheim declared.

“Seeing my growth as a student this time at ECC and even as a nurse has been eye-opening. I don’t want to say it’s been easy but knowing how to study and plan accordingly has made it a lot simpler this time.”

ECC Nursing Alum Earns Jeff City ‘Best Nurse’ Award

April 6, 2021 | Alumni Spotlight Campus News

East Central College Alumna Erica Scott has been working as a nurse with veterans for nearly six years.

This year, her hard work and dedication was recognized by the Jefferson City community.

In March, Scott was named the “Best Nurse” in the Jefferson City Magazine “City’s Best Directory 2021.”

“I was shocked, surprised and completely humbled,” she said.

Scott is a care coordinator with a primary care physician in a Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Community-based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). A CBOC is a clinic in rural areas where veterans do not have to drive hours to see a primary care physician.

She added that the City’s Best Directory 2021 award is nomination based, but she was not told who nominated her.

“I presume it was one of the veteran patients, but nobody will tell me,” Scott said.

According to Scott, she works with about 1,000 patients.

“I don’t know that I deserve this,” she said. “There are so many nurses helping COVID patients all year — they really deserve it.”

Scott noted that since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, her work with patients looks different. Over the past year, instead of seeing her patients in person, she primarily talks with them over the phone, gathering information and forwarding it to a physician.

“Since COVID, everything switched in the blink of an eye,” she said. “It is a huge honor that I made that much of a difference to someone and they thought of me for the award.

ECC Graduate

Scott, who is married with two children, is originally from the Hermann area and she graduated from Crosspoint Christian School in Villa Ridge in 2002.

She began prerequisites at ECC in 2002 and graduated with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing in 2005.

“I always knew that I wanted to go into the health care field,” she said. “But I was never sure exactly what I wanted to do.”

Scott noted that she took the prerequisites for a health care degree and eventually landed on nursing.

“The nursing program at ECC is phenomenal,” she said. “The teachers made sure that we were exposed to and had experience in everything — we were sent to a diverse selection of locations. That was very important.”

“The instructors wanted us to succeed and be safe as nurses,” she added.

Scott took a job with Boone Hospital in Columbia one month after she graduated from ECC. She left to work for the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital after a few years at Boone Hospital.

To learn more about the ECC Nursing and Allied Health program, visit www.eastcentral.edu/nursing/, or contact Nancy Mitchell at Nancy.Mitchell@eastcentral.edu.

During the Pandemic

Scott explained she has watched the health care field change dramatically over the past year.

“We have had to completely redo how we view and respond in health care to keep everyone safe,” she said.

Scott noted that in the height of the COVID pandemic, it was spreading to the older populations at a high rate.

“That required a lot more triaging over the phone, but we still gave a high level of care,” she said. “We were constantly updated on CDC (Centers for Disease Control) guidelines and talking with patients to keep them educated about COVID, and how to keep safe.”

For the older veterans she worked with, Scott said, there was a constant fear of getting COVID.

“Once they are diagnosed, it could go downhill very quickly,” she said. “Even if there was a slight decline, many patients were taken to the emergency room.”

According to Scott, oftentimes veteran patients were scared about how they would continue to get care during the pandemic.

“We let them know that we were still there for them, but that we had to do things differently,” she said. “Even though everything changed very quickly, we would take care of them, it was just in a different manner than before.”

Scott added that Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital staff have always done everything they can for their patients.

“In a pandemic or not, we are always doing the best we can for our patients,” Scott said. “It has been a really hard year and to get this kind of recognition makes me realize our patients recognize that.”