OCtech’s Practical Nursing Class of 2015 Honored at Pinning Ceremony

Photo of Practical Nursing Class of 2015
Pictured are members of the Practical Nursing Class of 2015, front row, from left, Shauntae Phelps, Alicia Young, Laura Beer, Tristan Rice, Ashley Risher, Susan Lyda, Haley Smith, Jacquetta Zimmerman, Adrienne Brayford, Shabrae Guinyard, Keasia Mohammed, Carribean Keitt; second row, Dorothy Prichard, Alex Bearden, Caitlin Johnson, Natalie King, Adrienne Hughes, Dalton Lugo, LaShawn Anderson, Henry Williams III, Heather Baxley, Destiny Chamblin, Jennifer Manley, Kendra Simmons, Lindsey Ingram, Myisha Jennings, Britney Irick, Kolisa Willingham, Sharon Murray, Brandi Scott; back row, Jordan Lesh, Becky Ripperdan, Jennifer Wofford, Russ Johnson, Myra Ardis, Audra Cruz, April Spires, Victoria Diltz and Ashley Baxley. Not pictured are Monica Gibson, Doug Hyman, Natalie Spires and Jessica Zapata.

The Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Practical Nursing Class of 2015 was honored during a pinning and awards ceremony on Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at First Baptist Church of Orangeburg. Forty-three graduates were pinned during the ceremony.

Dr. Charles J. Kilgore, pediatric hospitalist and chief of pediatric medicine at the Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg, addressed the graduates and stressed the importance of professionalism in nursing.

Several students were recognized for their outstanding achievements. Susan Lyda, Kolisa Willingham and Myra Ardis received First-Place Scholastic Awards; Britney Irick received the Second-Place Scholastic Award; Laura Beer and Jacquetta Zimmerman received Clinical Excellence Awards; Jennifer Manley and Brandi Scott received Best All-Around Awards; and April Spires received the Hands and Heart of Nursing Award.

OCtech’s Practical Nursing program offers two paths to becoming a licensed practical nurse. In the traditional Practical Nursing program, classes are held two days a week and labs/clinicals are held two days a week. The Practical Nursing Flex program is designed for working adults who have a medical background as a certified nursing assistant, phlebotomist, medical office assistant or other healthcare worker and have completed all math, English, psychology and biology prerequisites prior to applying to OCtech’s Practical Nursing program. Flex program classes are held once a week and labs/clinicals are held once a week.

For more information about OCtech’s Practical Nursing program, visit www.octech.edu or call Rhonda Browning, traditional Practical Nursing program coordinator, at 803-535-1343 or Candance Tooley, Practical Nursing Flex program coordinator, at 803-535-1340.