GCCC Boasts #1 Practical Nursing Program in Kansas

Garden City Community College

[Garden City, KS, September 13, 2019–] Garden City Community College boasts the number one practical nursing program in the state, according a national group dedicated to championing the growth and professional advancement of nurses nationwide.

The study from Practicalnursing.org, which ranked 17 Kansas schools overall, put GCCC at the top of the list, based on student scores from the National Council Licensure Examination, a standardized test students take after graduating from an accredited program to receive their license.

According to the group’s 2019 rankings, more practical nursing students from GCCC have passed this national exam on a first-time basis than any other Kansas institution, based on data available from 2014 to 2018, according to the organization.

GCCC President Dr. Ryan Ruda credited the dedicated nursing faculty, especially its long-standing nursing director, Patsy Zeller, for the hours and hard work they put in to educate students on a day-to-day basis.

“This is a great accolade for the nursing program, and is accomplished through faculty driven to help students and share their passion for their profession,” Dr. Ruda said. “It comes from dedicated support staff, too. And it comes from a nursing director who provides strong structure and leadership to the program and faculty.”

Students at GCCC can study pre-nursing, practical nursing, and also receive their associate’s degree in nursing to become registered nurses. The 47-credit-hour practical nursing certificate program is a selective program requiring special admissions requirements and prepares students to serve the community through compassionate care. For more information on the GCCC nursing programs or to enroll, contact Admissions at (620-276-9608) or admission@gcccks.edu.   

To see a full list of state-wide rankings, visit https://www.practicalnursing.org/lpn-programs/kansas.