AVONDALE, Arizona – The Arizona State Board of Nursing (AZBON) recently completed their evaluation of the Nursing Assistant program at the Southwest Skill Center (SWSC) and renewed the program’s status of “Continuing Approval” for another two years, which is the maximum period possible. The SWSC is located on the campus of Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), one of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges.
“This is a direct reflection of the hard work and dedication of a great team of staff and instructors,” said Sandy Maas, faculty chair of the SWSC Nursing and Allied Health.
The SWSC Nurse Assistant (NA) program provides a holistic approach to education that combines classroom instruction with hands-on laboratory and clinical experiences, and therapeutic interaction with patients in off-site clinical locations throughout the Phoenix area. Successful graduates of the program are then eligible to apply for certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).
In addition to the NA program, the SWSC offers a Practical Nurse (PN) program which provides eligibility to apply for state licensure as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), an EMCC offers an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing which leads to eligibility to apply for state licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN).
Clay Goodman, vice president of Occupational Education at EMCC, commented that the AZBON approval signifies a high level of trust for the quality of the our nursing programs. “It is critical that all of our programs continue to provide qualified and well-prepared students, and we are proud of the reputation our graduates have achieved within the healthcare industry.”