High School Students Explore Future in Nursing at ACC

High school students will explore a future in health care through a nursing academy hosted by the Austin Community College District and Capital Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Friday, October 28.

The event at ACC’s Round Rock Campus (4400 College Park Dr.) will give students an opportunity to practice nursing procedures on high-tech training mannequins, interact with nursing students and faculty, and learn about education requirements and employment options.

The academy will involve more than 40 students, representing high schools in Round Rock, Liberty Hill, Leander, Georgetown, Jarrell, and Pflugerville. There is no cost to students.

“The nursing academy is a fun way for students to discover this rewarding and in-demand career,” says Pat Recek, ACC’s assistant dean of health sciences. “ACC provides an affordable pathway into nursing, and our graduates are highly valued in the industry.”

The academy program is funded through a U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration Nursing Workforce Diversity Grant awarded to the college in 2009.

“Students who participate in the academy get a head start on planning for college and beyond,” says Ashley King, senior program coordinator for AHEC. “This program also benefits the community by helping ensure a pipeline of future health care professionals.”

ACC offers an associate degree nursing (RN) program and a certificate in vocational nursing (LVN), producing hundreds of graduates annually. In the 2009-10 year, the overall licensure pass rate for ACC’s associate degree nursing and vocational nursing graduates was 100 percent (source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board).

For more information on the nursing academies, visit AHEC’s website.

This project is supported by funds from the Division of Nursing (DN), Bureau of Health Professions (BHPr), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) under Grant Number 5D19HP14602 for $1,109,274. The information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any official endorsement be inferred by, the DN, BHPr, HRSA, DHHS, or the U.S. Government.

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