“Shortly after high school there was a lady who bagged groceries at a store near where I worked,” said Cole Reece, a Practical Nursing student at Central Tech.

“One day, on her way home from work, she was crossing the street and got hit by a car. Nobody could help and it seemed like it took forever for the fire department to show up; so I went out there and helped drag her out from under the car. I helped her out until the ambulance got there, and I thought ‘I could do this.’”

So, he did. Reece’s path to Central Tech hasn’t been a short one, but his start in the medical field came early when he joined the Army.

“My dad served in Vietnam and my grandfather served in World War II, so I kinda felt a sense of duty.”

Reece spent eight years in the Army as a medic and flight medic, and after deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, he decided to separate from the military and pursue nursing. At the time, he was living in Tennessee and one of Central Tech’s veteran’s programs pushed him to make the move to Oklahoma.

“Central Tech takes part in a military medic to nursing program. They give you more credit for your military experience, so I decided to move out here this summer.”

He started the Practical Nursing program in September and, in a class with a 12 to 15-month average completion time, graduated in only five months. Part of that fast pace is due to his solid military foundation.

“It helps a lot in the clinical aspect. We got to treat and take care of a lot of different patients, from kids all the way up to geriatric patients.”

His pace is also driven by the help he gets in and out of the classroom.

“Everybody seems really willing to help you any chance they can. Whether it’s the admin with financial aid or teachers in the class; other programs I’ve seen are more sink-or-swim,” said Reece. “You know, I’m 36. But they give me the opportunity to get this done quicker and move on and get to my ultimate goal sooner.”

Even outside the nursing aspect of his education, Reece feels like he’s being prepared for a future after Central Tech.

“The last portion of our nursing program is building a resume and dealing with job interviews. Instead of just giving me a degree and kicking me out the door, all the steps are in place to put me into a job.”

Reece already has multiple job offers. His immediate plans are to work part-time as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) while continuing his education in registered nurse (RN) school.

On March 15, Central Tech celebrated 11 Practical Nursing students who graduated from the Drumright campus and are on their way to licensure.

The Central Tech Practical Nursing (PN) program is open to adults and is offered on both the Drumright and Sapulpa campuses. Students learn how to administer medications and treatments as prescribed under the supervision of a registered nurse, licensed physician, or dentist.

For the past five years, students graduating from the Central Tech Practical Nursing program have achieved a 98.5 percent pass rate on their NCLEX-PN (National Council Licensure Examination) exams.

For more information about Central Tech Practical Nursing, please visit CentralTech.Edu or call Drumright 918.352.2551 or Sapulpa 918.224.9300.

Front Row (L-R): Shelbie Brown, Hominy; Lexi Huff, Yale; Tabitha Dandridge, Olive; Rebecca McCoy, Cushing. Middle Row: Alexa Bridge, Cushing; Tori Ingraham, Cushing; Porscha Brunt, Ripley. Back Row: Gabriela Delgado, Cleveland; Tricia Gosney, Stillwater; Sabrina Brown, Drumright; Porsha McCormick, Drumright.

On January 25, Central Tech celebrated the sixteen Practical Nursing students who graduated from the Sapulpa campus and are on their way to licensure.

The Central Tech Practical Nursing (PN) program is open to adults and is offered on both the Drumright and Sapulpa campuses. Students learn how to administer medications and treatments as prescribed under the supervision of a registered nurse, licensed physician, or dentist.

For the past five years, students graduating from the Central Tech Practical Nursing program have achieved a 98.5 percent pass rate on their NCLEX-PN (National Council Licensure Examination) exams.

For more information about Central Tech Practical Nursing, please visit CentralTech.Edu or call Drumright 918.352.2551 or Sapulpa 918.224.9300.

Front Row (L-R): Jeri Willis, Sapulpa; Elizabeth Arnold, Sapulpa; Joni Mitchell, Sapulpa; Wendy Hunter, Tulsa; Barbara Pippin, Cleveland; Natasha Ugbah, Tulsa; Morgan Fisher, Sand Springs Back Row: Brittany Jones, Okmulgee; Mary Bell, Beggs; Fanta Thompson, Tulsa; Terra Arnold, Sapulpa; Danielle O’Leary, Sapulpa; Miracle Washington, Tulsa; Betty Taylor, Broken Arrow; Susan Fanning, Broken Arrow; Rhiannen Perez, Tulsa.

The 2017 Practical Nursing summer graduating class was presented with nursing pins in a ceremony held at Central Tech in Drumright on Thursday, July 6, 2017.

Nine students received class pins during the pinning presentation. The class includes Shelbey Lyon of Chandler, James Meyerring of Oilton, Raegan Earp of Cushing, Whitney Cooper of Sapulpa, Chelsea Baugus of Cushing, Danielle Smith of Stroud, Rebecca Gordon of Yale, Jessica Roe of Cushing, and Regina Howell of Depew.

The Central Tech Practical Nursing (PN) program is open to adults and offered on both the Drumright and Sapulpa campuses. Students learn how to administer medications and treatments as prescribed under the supervision of a registered nurse, licensed physician, or dentist. Curriculum is comprised of 1463 clock hours with 656 of those hours spent in clinical settings. The PN program is accredited by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing.

For more than five years, students graduating from the Central Tech PN program have achieved at least a 98.5 percent pass rate on their NCLEX-PN (National Council Licensure Examination) exams. According to reports, the state average is 91 percent and the national average is 82 percent.

“Our NCLEX scores reflect both the nursing department’s dedication to helping make students successful and the student’s determination to succeed,” said Curtis Baker, R.N., Ph.D., practical nursing coordinator.

Central Tech is now accepting applications for the November 2, 2017 class on the Drumright campus. Applications are due by September 8, 2017. For more information about Central Tech Practical Nursing, please visit CentralTech.Edu or call Drumright 918.352.2551 or Sapulpa 918.224.9300

Stillwater Medical Center was named Central Tech’s Partner for Progress and honored at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City on February 23.

“Stillwater Medical Center is a valuable partner; helping our students connect training and clinical skills to employment,” said Ron Dyer, superintendent, Central Tech.

The Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education (OkACTE) Partners for Progress award recognizes businesses and industries that have made outstanding contributions to the improvement, promotion, development and progress of career and technology centers in Oklahoma.

“Stillwater Medical Center hires several medical assistant students, LPNs, phlebotomists, they’re all over our hospital. They are way above average; I would say exceptional. Their students are very viable in the workplace,” said Lea Brown, human resources coordinator, Stillwater Medical Center.

Central Tech and Stillwater Medical Center have had a significant partnership for many years. Stillwater Medical Center provides Central Tech students opportunities to receive valuable knowledge during clinical experiences, preceptor rotations, internships, and tours. These training opportunities have resulted in employment for many graduates; benefiting Stillwater Medical Center and Central Tech. Stillwater Medical Center employees serve on Central Tech’s program advisory committees; freely offering their professional expertise and time.

Central Tech is proud to have Stillwater Medical Center as a Partner for Progress, and congratulates them on this award. To learn more about Central Tech visit CentralTech.Edu.