The Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Practical Nursing Class of 2016 was honored during a pinning and awards ceremony on July 26 at First Baptist Church of Orangeburg. Fifty-three graduates were pinned during the ceremony.
Cerrissa Hugie, a 2014 graduate of OCtech’s Practical Nursing program who is now enrolled in the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, was the guest speaker. Hugie, who previously earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of South Carolina, talked about her journey to becoming a nurse and how OCtech’s Practical Nursing program was the perfect way for her to make a career change in just one year.
Several students were recognized for their outstanding achievements. Crystal Lorick and Sontiner Smith received the First-Place Scholastic Award; Courtney Hornilla received the Second-Place Scholastic Award; Kimberly Felder and Stephanie Lott received the Clinical Excellence Award; and Naconakeshia Byrd and Gini Lowery received the Best All-Around 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.
