SPOKANE, Wash. — The Washington State University Intercollegiate College of Nursing will honor 114 fall 2004 nursing graduates at convocation ceremonies in Spokane and Pullman on Dec. 11. Undergraduate and graduate nursing students from the
The nursing graduates enter a job market that continues to offer opportunities for registered nurses in many traditional and specialty areas. Graduates continue to receive numerous professional offers weeks and even months before they graduate, due in large part to the growing nursing shortage affecting hospitals and health care organizations nationwide.
The fall graduating class consists of 101 students receiving bachelor’s degrees in nursing and 13 receiving master’s degrees from WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing.
As the largest single health care profession, employment for registered nurses will grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic, which indicates the aging population and the aging nursing workforce have contributed to the nation’s nursing shortage.
“Our graduates have the option of working in a variety of areas, including large urban centers, rural communities, the armed services and private industry,” said Dorothy Detlor, dean of the WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing. “Geography, location and practice preferences all play a role in the nursing position these graduates ultimately accept. Many graduates choose to stay in their home communities or the Northwest region, but many also intend to pursue opportunities available in other parts of the country.”
Glen Potter, a 51-year-old former fire chief graduating with a bachelor’s degree in nursing, plans to work in public health in a rural community where the nursing shortage is even more acute. “I’m looking forward to the small town atmosphere and I think it will be great to work with the variety of populations present in rural communities.”
To receive a license to practice, entry level nurse candidates take a test known as the National Council Licensure Examination, abbreviated to NCLEX ®. This test is given to assure that nurses are competent to perform effectively and safely. The WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing continues to have one of the highest pass rates for the NCLEX-RN licensure examination in the state of
The professional commitment to nursing by those graduates receiving bachelor’s degrees is demonstrated during a traditional convocation ceremony held each semester in conjunction with graduation ceremonies. The convocation ceremony is a time for sharing the goals and dreams the new graduates have for their nursing careers with family, fellow students and faculty. During the ceremony students receive a nursing pin from family members and light a candle, a symbolic image of the nursing profession.
Established in 1968, the WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The college is the nation’s oldest and most comprehensive nursing education consortium. Celebrating 36 years of world-class nursing education, the college offers baccalaureate, graduate and professional development course work to nursing students enrolled through its four consortium partners: Eastern Washington University, Gonzaga University, WSU and Whitworth College and in five communities across the state. Each year the college educates more than 700 graduate and upper-division undergraduate students and prepares more entry-level nurses than any other state educational institution. For more information about the
Editor’s Note: Reporters and photographers are welcome to attend both the Dec. 11 graduation ceremonies, beginning at 10 a.m., in the WSU Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum in
