The nursing programs at Three Rivers College have seen success over the last year.
For the fall of 2019, 100% of the nursing students at the Poplar Bluff campus successfully completed and received certification.
For the spring 2020 semester, that rate is at 95%. Dr. Staci Foster, chair of Nursing and Allied Health, said the 5% is equal to one student out of the class of 20 students.
Meanwhile, at the Sikeston campus, the licensed practical nurse to registered nurse bridge program also saw a 100% completion rate for the spring 2020 semester. The class consisted of 19 students.
“We’re doing really well,” Foster said.
The high success rate is good news for the region at a time when many areas are facing nursing shortages. California, for instance, has had to reach out to places like Australia and Taiwan to find 3,000 temporary medical workers, particularly nurses, according to the Associated Press.
Three Rivers has also found it has more applicants for its nursing program than it has slots available.
Spring semester starts Monday and the program had 81 applicants.
Foster said 60 met the eligibility requirements and 30 were accepted into the program. Eligibility requirements include grade point average and an admissions test.
The other 30 were put on an alternative list in case some of the admitted students drop out of the program.
“These are good numbers,” Foster said.
Foster said TRC is planning to offer an LPN to RN bridge program course in the evenings starting in the fall semester.
Previously, a two-year Associate of Applied Science in Nursing program was offered at that time, but Foster said students are showing more interest in a bridge program.
Applications for that program will open in July and classes would start January 2022.