LCC continues to boost healthcare with nursing grads

Caption: Summer 2010 graduates of the Laredo Community College Vocational Nursing Program are pictured with faculty members at the traditional pinning ceremony Thursday, Aug. 5, at the Kazen College Center.

The future of Laredo's healthcare system looks brighter than ever as 40 vocational nursing students graduated Thursday, Aug. 5, from the one-year nursing program at Laredo Community College.

A traditional pinning ceremony to recognize graduates of the Vocational Nursing (VN) program was held in the Kazen College Center.

As part of the ceremony, graduates lit candles and recited the health professional covenant after receiving their nursing pins.

"Laredo Community College is proud to serve as the largest trainer for nursing professionals in Laredo," LCC Interim Vice President for Instruction Dianna Miller said. "More than 230 students are annually trained through LCC's nursing programs."

"Their accomplishment reaffirms the college's commitment to produce highly skilled providers of care for the benefit of the region," she added.

LCC also offers a two-year Associate Degree Nursing program and a semester-long Nursing Assistant Program.

Graduates of the summer 2010 VN class included Maribel Acevedo, Sandra Alfaro, Abigail Arriaga, Erica L. Blake, Jeanette D. Botello, Aaron A. Campos, Ricardo Chavez, Nydia Cisneros, Priscilla Davila, Luis R. Erazo, Rosa Espinoza, Diana Garcia, Donnath S. Garza, Eva Garza, Ida A. Garza, Genniel T. Gatchalian, Cristina Y. Gomez, Cristina E. Gonzales, Stephany Gonzalez, Karina J. Gutierrez, Silvia A. Hernandez, Gloria A. Herrera, Veronica J. Kadrich, Viviana Lopez, Vanessa M. Lozano, Veronica Mendez, Carlos Molina Jr., Ysenia A. Moreno, Izamar Nava, Jessica E. Piñeda, Lindsay M. Rodriguez, Lisa M. Rodriguez, Diana Serna, Melina L. Thatcher, San Juanita Urena, Kimberly Varela, Elsie Vasquez, Nancy Villarreal, Sara A. White, and Martha Zaragoza.

Highlights of the nursing ceremony included a special message from student speaker Ida Garza.

Student achievement was recognized with the presentation of the Merit Award to Ysenia Moreno and the Mary Alice Lopez award to Ida Garza.

The VN Program at LCC is a clinically intensive one-year certificate program which offers classroom instruction and valuable clinical practice in four basic areas of nursing, including fundamentals, medical/surgical, maternity/pediatric, and psychiatric.

Upon graduation, the vocational nursing student is eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN).

The VN program is fully accredited by the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners.

For more information, call the Vocational Nursing Program at 721-5255.