The Arkansas Health Care Association graduates its first class from the AHCA School of Nursing. Separate graduation ceremonies are held in Little Rock, Rogers and Jonesboro for the 66 practical nurse (LPN) students who will receive their certificates of course completion and advance to taking their final licensure exam.
The Little Rock ceremony took place April 13, the Rogers ceremony April 14, and the Jonesboro event will occur April 16. Each ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. and take place at Embassy Suites in each city.
Through AHCA’s career advancement program, certified nursing assistants (CNAs) within member facilities can take courses to advance to a medication assistant-certified (MA-C). After enrolling in the AHCA School of Nursing, MA-Cs can complete their LPN coursework in 10 months. The school is the first of its kind in the country — created, operated and led by a consortium of skilled nursing facilities. The program directly addresses the shortage of LPNs in the state and seeks to counter a trend seen nationwide. The Health Resources and Services Administration projects that by 2038, there will only be enough LPNs across the United States to meet 70 percent of the need, according to a press release…