Twenty American Samoa Community College nursing students will graduate in a capping and pinning ceremony this evening at the Lee Auditorium.
Eleven have successfully completed course work to become Licensed Practical Nurses while nine are graduating as Registered Nurses.
Mrs. Tofiga Tufele, President of the American Samoa Nurses Association is very happy that another group of women and a few men will be joining the nursing ranks, as there’s still a shortage of nurses in the territory.
She acknowledges the contribution and push from the ASCC nursing program instructors, Lele Ah Mu, Sylvia Tauiliili and Anne Longnecker.
What’s unique about this group of nursed is that they have been able to receive their National Council Licensure Examination before their pinning and capping ceremony.
In previous years, students only received their licenses after graduation.
The NCLEX is required by all US states and territorial boards of nursing to practice nursing.
Mrs Tufele said a major challenge that their profession faces is trying to get students to pick nursing as a career.
To that end the nurses association has started outreach to parents to encourage their children to take up nursing, which is a career for both men and women.
