SAU Tech is pleased to announce the result of the (ASBN) Arkansas State Board of Nursing's review of the College's Practical Nursing Program. On October 25, 2018, ASBN visited the campus as part of a four-year review cycle required for nursing programs. On January 10, 2019, the College was notified that its PN program had received certification for "Continued Full Approval."

This comes on the heels of renovations to the program's lab area which was funded through the Arkansas Blue & You Foundation, Perkins grant funds, and some additional funds from SAU. The SAU Tech, Practical Nursing program, boast a pas rate of 95.8 percent for graduates who take their state board exams to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).

The College is working on receiving initial approval from the ASBN to begin offering an Associate of Applied Science in Registered Nursing starting summer 2020. This program will have prerequisites for admission and applicants must already be an LPN.

Dr. Valerie Wilson, Vice Chancellor for Academics and Planning at SAU Tech said, "The representative from the ASBN commended SAU Tech on the improvement to the facilities for the program and was impressed by the support given to the program form the College's administration. Shelley Young, Program Coordinator, and her staff (Cheryl McKinnon, Traci Sutton, and Jessica Young) are to be commended for their hard work and dedication to the College and the nursing program."

SAU Tech is extending the deadline to apply to the PN program for 2019 to April 1. Anyone interested can go to www.sautech.edu/nursing to learn more about the program.

The photo above was taken earlier during a site visit by Patrick O'Sullivan with the Arkansas Blue and You Foundation. Pictured are students, and on the right of the bed, Shelley Young, Mr. O'Sullivan, Dr. Valerie Wilson and Traci Sutton. The area in the photo shows the new flooring and some of the new lab space the program is now utilizing.