North Georgia Tech Receives Go Ahead for New Nursing Degree Program

The Technical College System of Georgia State Board has approved the Associate of Science in Nursing Degree at the North Georgia Technical College Clarkesville Campus effective fall semester 2013.  In addition, the program has receive initial approval from the Georgia State Board of Nursing.

“We are proud of these recent events as we move down the path of supporting the community with this new program,” said NGTC President Dr. Gail Thaxton.  “There is a tremendous need for additional nurses and we know our program will make a real difference for students, healthcare employers, and residents.”

The ASN program offers graduates a direct path to becoming a Registered Nurse, projected to be one of the two occupations with the highest growth rate in Georgia and among occupations with the most annual openings in North Georgia.

The addition of this program allows students to complete a first-rate registered nurse program within their own community.  Student enrollment in health-related programs offered by NGTC indicated a strong interest in nursing careers. The need for additional health care professionals has increased significantly with the influx of retirees and aging population in the communities served by the college.

NGTC has received overwhelming support from key healthcare providers within the 8-county service area.  Nine of the eleven workforce partners indicated that they anticipated hiring within the next three years.

NGTC’s desire to implement the degree program is a direct result of growing student demand for allied health training, job availability and projected job growth. Currently NGTC attracts more “prenursing” students than can be accommodated by its Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program.  The ASN program provides a strong foundation in the practice of nursing and prepares students to function within the framework of the registered nurse role.

“We have had a fantastic team working to move the development of this program forward,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs Kathie Ivester. “It has involved everything from curriculum development, to classroom schedule strategies, and even the installation of cutting edge technology with the new smart patient dummies, the iStans, for each campus.  It has been exciting to watch, and we look forward to our students’ success in this first cohort.”

Entry into the fall 2013 cohort was handled through a competitive process and the first 30 students have been sent letters of acceptance.  Candidates were evaluated for entry into the ASN program based on GPA and test scores from the HESI (Health Education Systems, Inc.) test is administered periodically by NGTC. 

Those wishing to be considered for entry into future cohorts of the ASN program should complete the application which is available on the NGTC website, www.northgatech.edu, or by contacting the program directly at [email protected] or 706-754-7732.