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NFCC’s RN program receives provisional approval
A long awaited dream for a two-year registered nursing program at North Florida Community College is finally a reality. In a meeting in Tampa, FL on June 9, the Florida Board of Nursing granted NFCC with provisional status to begin training 24 students in a two-year RN program on January 2006. NFCC has been working toward bringing the Associate Degree in Nursing to rural north Florida residents for four years.
NFCC will go through a two-year process before obtaining the full Board of Nursing approval status which will be granted after the first round of students graduate and pass national examinations.
In response to the expanding nursing shortage that estimates 125,000 vacant nursing positions in the U.S., NFCC began developing a plan for a registered nursing program in 2001. The goal is to train nurses for six of the most rural counties in the state - Hamilton, Jasper, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee and Taylor counties. A survey of health care facilities and physicians in NFCC’s six-county service district area showed that 310 additional health care professionals are needed over the next few years to meet increasing demands.
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NFCC nursing instructors star in Florida Nursing Educator Project through interactive tv classes
North Florida Community College has entered into a partnership with Florida State University School of Nursing to increase the number of nursing faculty in the Florida Panhandle area and at NFCC. A state grant permits FSU to deliver graduate level nursing courses via video-conference and online sources. NFCC installed the new interactive equipment in September and already two nursing instructors are plugged into the courses.
NFCC nursing instructors Miki Richardson and Dyana Martin, both who hold four-year nursing degrees, are taking interactive classes as a preparation for the opening of NFCC’s RN Program January 3, 2006. Participating in the program will ultimately lead to master degrees (MSN) without the additional costs in tuition and travel expenses.
“I am hopeful that this is the beginning of such cooperative efforts between FSU and NFCC that will enable more of our associate degree RN’s to be able to continue work on their BSN and then MSN,” said Nita Fico, NFCC Director of the RN Program. “In rural America, this concept is very important as nurses must leave rural areas to obtain a higher degree and often do not return to the area causing a nurse shortage for that area. The real shortage is the nurse with the advanced degree, the nurse who can teach new nurses. This partnership has enabled us to grow our own and keep them at home.”
The FSU Florida Panhandle Nurse Educator Project is funded through a $366,300 grant from the Florida Department of Education to promote the educational growth of Florida nurses. For more information please contact Nita Fico at 850.973.9489 or email ficon@nfcc.edu.
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NFCC’s first RN class prepares for classes to begin Jan. 5
North Florida Community College is gearing up for its first ever RN class beginning Jan. 5. In an orientation held Dec, 6, RN staff met with the 20 prospective RN students who will pilot the RN Program.
NFCC has been working toward bringing the associate degree in nursing to rural north Florida residents for four years, the program will undergo a two-year process before obtaining full state board of nursing approval status which will be granted after this round of students graduate and pass national examinations.
“I am so excited that these students have been selected to pilot the RN program here at NFCC,” said Allied Health Programs Director Nita Fico. “I look forward to a busy academic year. We will have three full days of RN classes a week including 8-12 hour clinical shifts at area hospitals and nursing homes.”
The RN program began at NFCC in response to the expanding nursing shortage that estimates 125,000 vacant nursing positions in the U.S. NFCC began developing a plan for a registered nursing program in 2001. The goal is to train nurses for six of the most rural counties in the state - Hamilton, Jasper, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee and Taylor counties. A survey of health care facilities and physicians in NFCC’s six-county service district area showed that 310 additional health care professionals are needed over the next few years to meet increasing demands.
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NFCC’s RN program holds Open House
The new registered nursing program at North Florida Community College will hold a public open house, Friday, February 24 from 3 – 6 in the afternoon. Nita Fico, director of the RN program, said the event is a way to show off the nursing facilities and introduce nursing staff to the community.
“The community has given NFCC a great deal of support while we have worked to bring the RN program to the area. This is our way of thanking everyone for that support,” said Fico.
“We want folks to come and see our state of the art skills laboratory and tour our building as we showcase the RN program. Visitors are here they can also visit other allied health programs including PCT, LPN, EMT and Paramedic,” said Fico. RN students will conduct tours and there will be demonstrations, including free blood pressure checks.
President Morris G. Steen, Jr. will join Fico and the nursing staff in greeting guests. The open house will be in the Career and Technical Center, Building 13 on the NFCC campus.
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Public ‘oos’ and ‘ahs’ new RN facilities at NFCC
“How does that work?” “Wow, is this real?” “What a huge lab!” If comments from visitors to the new nursing training facilities at North Florida Community College were any indication, the RN program has passed its first public check-up with flying colors. Nearly 200 toured the facilities and met students and staff at the RN open house Friday, Feb. 24th in the Career & Technical Center on the Madison campus.
Students and staff alike could not hide their pride in NFCC’s accomplishment of opening the RN program. Offering a registered nursing degree had been the vision of Morris G. Steen, Jr. since he assumed leadership of the college in 2002. All it took was three years, dogged determination and the support of many NFCC friends. “This is a dream realized,” said Steen at the open house.
Billed as a thank you to the community and legislators who supported NFCC’s extended effort to start a two-year nursing degree, the afternoon festivities showcased all the allied health programs, as well as the new RN program. Students gave tours of new laboratories and demonstrated simulation equipment which mimics actual patient conditions – some too real for even the most stalwart.
“I did not need to see that,” said one gentleman after a demonstration of a simulation “pregnant patient.” He chuckled and turned to the next demonstration station. According to nursing staff, the realism of the simulators is what makes them such effective teaching tools.
According to nursing director Nita Fico, ‘Everyone commented on how positive and knowledgeable our students are. We love hearing that. And, the simulators were a big hit.”
In remarks to the group President Morris G. Steen, Jr. singled out the support of Cong. Ander Crenshaw for funding, as well as donations by the Taylor County Board of Commissioners and the Workforce Floridard. Steen also thanked other legislators who provided support, including Rep. Will Kendrick, Cong. Allen Boyd and aide Danny Collins, Kevin Doyle from Senator Mel Martinez's office, Theresa Frederick from Fla. Sen. Al Lawson's office, and Sara Sanders from Senator Bill Nelson's office.
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Cong. Crenshaw tours NFCC nursing facility
U.S. Congressman Ander Crenshaw (R, Jacksonville) dropped in for a tour of the new nursing department at North Florida Community College in Madison, Fla. on Friday, March 4, 2006. Crenshaw secured $546,000 in federal funding that helped get the registered nursing program started at NFCC. Crenshaw, in his third term, is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.
NFCC enrolled students in its first associate degree in nursing classes the fall of 2005.
President Morris G. Steen, Jr. welcomed the congressman and his wife, Kitty, to the campus.
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NFCC helps student build career in nursing
DeShala Frazier, a resident of Madison and employee at Madison Nursing Center, began her educational journey at North Florida Community College in 2001 with one goal in mind – the goal to help people through a career in patient care.
“I knew that I wanted to help people and the Patient Care Technician (PCT) program was highly recommended,” said Frazier.
But Frazier didn’t stop there. After completing PCT training in 2003, she continued into NFCC’s Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program graduating in 2005 and now has been accepted into the NFCC Registered Nursing (RN) program and will begin classes this fall. For more information
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