VALDOSTA — The associate of science in nursing program at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College has been named the number one program in the state of Georgia, according to the Registered Nursing.org website.

The ranking is among all colleges, universities and technical colleges, college officials said. 

The ranking is based on the students’ National Council Licensure Exam pass rates.

“We have ranked the top 20 nursing schools in Georgia by analyzing current and historical NCLEX-RN ‘pass rates,’ meaning the percentage of graduates who passed the exam out of the total 53 RN programs currently offered in the state,” according to the Registered Nursing.org site. “Programs reviewed included schools that offer an associate in nursing, BSN or direct-entry MSN degree.” 

Dr. Darlene Ridley, RN, MSN, CNE, Wiregrass director of nursing, has taught since the program began in January 2014. 

“The nursing program at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College prepares students throughout the duration of the program,” Ridley said. “We want our students to achieve success on the National Council Licensure Exam and to perform proficiently as a competent and safe professional registered nurse. In order to achieve success, students are required to demonstrate competency with clinical skills, drug calculation and on the HESI final exam each semester.”

Dr. Tina K. Anderson, Wiregrass Tech president, said, “The ASN faculty truly care about the students and are continuously striving to improve the program. Students can be confident that when they successfully complete the program they are prepared to pass the NCLEX-RN. Wiregrass is extremely proud of the faculty, graduates and students. This ranking is further validation of the hard work they put in day after day.”

The RN program has a job placement rate of 100 percent with graduates working in many area hospitals, doctor’s offices and nursing facilities, college officials said. 

Eli Metts, BSN, RN, CCRN, graduated from Wiregrass in 2017 with his associate of science degree in nursing. He is a registered nurse in the Invasive Cardiology Unit at South Georgia Media Center Dasher Heart Center.  

“I am so glad I chose Wiregrass to pursue my nursing education,” Metts said. “Having been in the field for close to two years now, I know that I was more than prepared when I joined the ranks of registered nurses in my community. I learned all the practical skills at Wiregrass that serve me in my job role today. The hands-on experience I garnered as a student from Wiregrass made me feel confident and comfortable when I entered the workforce. To my mind, there is no better choice for prospective nurses when they are deciding on where to pursue their degree.” 

While at Wiregrass, Metts represented the college as the 2017 GOAL winner and was a state finalist. Since graduation, he has completed his bachelor of science in nursing and is currently pursuing his master’s as a nurse practitioner.

The RN program is one of the competitive admissions programs at the college and welcomes new students into the program each spring semester, college officials said. Students can apply for the program after completing required courses and the HESI. 

Wiregrass will soon accept new students for summer semester classes. Full-term classes begin May 15 and Summer Express (eight weeks) begins May 28. Each campus of Wiregrass will host a free application day March 21, college officials said. 

People who apply in person on that day will have their application fee waived. Summer semester would be a great time to start on the required core classes. 

More information: Visit www.wiregrass.edu.

To view the rankings, visit, https://www.registerednursing.org/state/georgia/#rankings.