April 8, 2010
For immediate use

(DURHAM, N.C.) – Durham Technical Community College’s Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) and Practical Nursing (PN) programs have been approved for accreditation by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). The organization, and its predecessor, the National League for Nursing, have validated standards of excellence in nursing education for more than 50 years.

“You and your faculty have demonstrated your commitment to the highest standards of nursing education,” said Sharon Tanner, chief executive officer of the accrediting organization.

Durham Tech’s Practical Nursing program is just one of two in the state with NLNAC accreditation. Sherry B. Wilson directs Durham Tech’s Practical Nursing program, which numbers approximately 60 students. The program began in 1961, making it the second oldest community college Practical Nursing program in the state. The three-semester program trains students for employment in hospitals, nursing homes, extended-care facilities, clinics, physicians’ and dentists’ offices, and other health care agencies.

Dr. Helen C. Ayres directs the ADN program, which has an enrollment of approximately 150 students. Graduates of the ADN program are employed in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, physicians’ offices, industry, and community health agencies. Clinical experiences at health care institutions throughout the Triangle offer valuable hands-on training for students in both programs.

Earning the NLNAC accreditation was a two-year process for both of these programs. Both directors and their staffs participated in intensive self-studies that validated how the programs met NLNAC standards. The next NLNAC accreditation visit for the programs is scheduled for fall of 2014. Both nursing programs have also received full approval the N.C. Board of Nursing.