Pinning ceremonies for both the Practical Nursing and Medical Assisting Programs at ESCC were held on Friday and Saturday, August 4 and 5 at the Workforce Development Services Great Hall on the campus in Melfa.
Peggy Bennett is the new Program Director for the Practical Nursing Program, which is designed to prepare beginning practitioners for a career as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) with the knowledge and skills to care for clients of all ages and function as contributing members of the health care team in a variety of health service facilities.  Bennett commented “We are proud of each of the graduates and what they have accomplished over this past year.”

ESCC graduated 9 Practical Nursing students with 7 of the 9 already having had job interviews and 4 of the 7 offered job opportunities. The graduates are Faith Bridges, Brenda Cruz-Hernandez, Miketia Edmond, Jessica Edwards, Angelica Guerrero-Cayetano, Katie Martin, Amanda Perkins, Alana Pruitt, and Melissa Ann Rich. Amanda Perkins was awarded honors for the Highest Academic average and Angelica Guerrero-Cayetano received the award for the Best Bedside Nurse. The annual Crumb-Craft Award went to Amanda Perkins, Angelica Guerrero-Cayetano, and Alana Pruitt.

Medical Assisting, Billing and Coding, and Medical Office Specialist are “gateway” health education programs. Students often start here and matriculate into other programs such as licensed practical nursing or registered nursing. Over half of this class are enrolled in RN and LPN pre-requisites this fall.

Class instructor, Associate Professor Elizabeth Perry elaborated on the program saying, “These programs prepare individuals as multi-skilled health care practitioners who are competent in urgent care, physician’s office, hospital, and a long-term care environment.  These students learn front desk registration procedures and management, insurance, billing and coding, medications and administration in an office setting.  They also work directly with the physician and nurses to perform procedures such as venipuncture/phlebotomy, EKG skills, glucose monitoring and miscellaneous tests in the office.”

Medical Assisting graduated 18 students. 10 have achieved NCCT certification and the remaining will test in September. Billing and Coding graduated 5 students, 2 of whom have achieved NCCT certification.  Graduates include Heather M. Baumgardner, Jenenlyn L. Bengston, Makia W. Bibbins, Amber M. Boggs, Itiana Collins, Kayla R. Crockett, Mary V. Custis, Kiasha R. Johnson, Fredeline Joseph, LiLi Morales, Mikayla D. Powell, Sinequa T. Reid, Anna V. Rutledge, Rachael L. Stith, Samantha L. Swartz, Luchinia T. Veney, Tiera N. Veney, Rose D. Verdieu, and Tykea White.

Students with certification have secured employment in local businesses such as Riverside Shore Memorial, Eastern Rural Health, and in the Tidewater area.