WILBURTON – Four Kiamichi Tech’s Licensed Practical Nursing programs have been ranked in the top 20 Oklahoma LPN program in Oklahoma for 2024. The programs and their respective ranking are Durant campus (third), Poteau campus (ninth), Hugo campus (eleventh), and McAlester campus (nineteenth).
“We are thrilled that the accomplishments of our instructors, staff and students are being recognized at this level,” said Shelly Swalley, Practical Nursing Director at Kiamichi Tech.
According to Practical-Nursing.com, 43 schools in Oklahoma were analyzed and the top 20 were ranked based on their NCLEX-PN exam pass rate. The NCLEX-PN exam is used by state boards of nursing around the country for testing proficiency and granting licensure. Pass rates for this exam are one of the best ways to determine how well a school is preparing their students for a career in practical nursing, according to the ranking organization’s website.
“I would like to applaud the efforts of our Practical Nursing faculty for nurturing the academic and career goals of our nursing students,” said Shelley Free, Superintendent at Kiamichi Tech. “This recognition is a testament to the tireless devotion the Practical Nursing team has to the healthcare profession and the work they do to prepare the next generation of nurses.”
The Kiamichi Tech Practical Nursing program is comprised of 1508 hours of training, including a minimum of 20 hours of clinical training time each week. Upon admission to the program, students have the flexibility to enroll in its full-time and part-time daytime schedule or the parttime evening schedule based on location and preference.
The district-wide first-time pass rate for Practical Nursing students at Kiamichi Tech taking the NCLEX-PN exam from January to September 2023 was 93.9 percent. Ninetyseven percent of those in the program received positive job placement after graduation, with the average wage of graduates at $23 per hour in 2022-2023. Many students choose to continue their education with additional nursing degrees, such as a Registered Nursing degree or Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
The Practical Nursing program will begin accepting applications for the 2024-2025 school year in early January. Learn more about the program and apply at ktc.edu/ practicalnursing or visit the Kiamichi Tech - Practical Nursing Facebook page.
Kiamichi Technology Centers (Kiamichi Tech) has played a significant role in the growth of southeast Oklahoma communities since 1968, serving 10 full and three partial counties. With a mission to ‘Prepare People for Success,” Kiamichi Tech meets local workforce needs through full-time career training programs, shortterm courses and customized training for businesses. The district is led by the vision and guidance of Superintendent Shelley Free and a seven-member Board of Education.
Kiamichi Tech is part of the Oklahoma CareerTech system, which offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts and operates on 60 campuses across the state. CareerTech plays a vital role in developing a world-class workforce for Oklahoma employers and prepares Oklahomans to succeed in the workplace, in education and in life.