Melbourne – In November of this year, nursing students from across the State of Arkansas preparing to complete the Arkansas Rural Nursing Education Consortium (ARNEC) program took the Assessment Technologies Incorporated (ATI) Comprehensive NCLEX Predictor. Those 116 students scored in the top 1% in the nation on that exam.
Ozarka College is part of this consortium comprised of six rural community colleges across the State. Also in the consortium are: Arkansas State University Newport, Black River Technical College. Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas, University of Arkansas Community College Morrilton, and SouthArk Community College.
According to ARNEC Nursing instructor, Alison DeLong, “this proctored exam is administered across the country to thousands of registered nursing students who are preparing to graduate and take the NCLEX licensure exam. The purpose is to assess students’ comprehensive nursing knowledge base and serve as a predictor for success on the licensure exam.”
The ARNEC program student retention rate is at 95%, which is a phenomenal statistic for any RN program across the state, according to Allied Health Division Chair and site coordinator at Ozarka College, Ruby Johnson. This program has grown considerably since its inception in 2004 with an increase in seating from 10 to 20 students at each facility.
A new cohort of ARNEC students will begin in January 2010. For more information about the requirements for this program, or to apply contact Ozarka College Admissions at 870-368-7371; or visit the ARNEC website at www.arnec.org.
