Jonesboro, AR – JonesboroRightNow.com – Hundreds of family members and friends gathered Thursday night to celebrate their loved ones graduating from the Arkansas Health Care Association (AHCA) School of Nursing.

The ceremony marked the graduation of the first class of the AHCA School of Nursing, which aims to fill the gap in licensed practical nurse staffing in Arkansas. The Jonesboro cohort had 21 graduates, with additional cohorts in Rogers and Little Rock.

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During the ceremony, graduates were pinned by an individual of the graduate’s choosing. In addition, graduates received a candle and a lamp, a tribute to the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale.

Four women smiling on a stage, holding signs that read 'GO Rosie' and 'Did That Rosie!!' in support.
Rosie Dennis (in white coat) from Craighead Nursing Center (Courtesy of AHCA)
Two women stand on a stage during a ceremony; one in a white lab coat holds a black folder, smiling, with a flag in the background.
Devain Teem from Ash Flat Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center. Pictured with Stephanie Isaacs, Director of the Arkansas Office of Skills Development. Devain has already passed her NCLEX. (Courtesy of AHCA)
A man in a white lab coat and black outfit stands beside a woman in a black cardigan at a conference, both smiling for the camera with a clipboard in his hand and other attendees in the background.
Jeremy Sims-Eaves with his administrator Laurie Herron from Wood-Lawn Heights in Batesville. Jeremy has already passed the NCLEX (Courtesy of AHCA)

The graduates will now take their NCLEX exam, the final step before becoming a licensed practical nurse.

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