NC Board of Nursing approves RCC’s LPN program expansion request

The North Carolina Board of Nursing has approved the enrollment expansion of the Licensed Practical Nursing program at Robeson Community College. The enrollment will be allowed to increase by 24 for a total enrollment of 48 students beginning January 2022.

“I had the pleasure of being in attendance when our Practical Nursing program expansion request was approved by the full Board of Nursing, uncontested and without question,” said Dr. Eva Meekins, director of the nursing education programs at RCC. “The timeliness of the doubling the practical nursing enrollment from 24 to 48 is going to provide an upward career path for many more PN applicants, while positively impacting the nursing shortage in our region.”

The nursing program at Robeson Community has already experienced exponential growth in the Fall 2020 semester, with most classes in the health science programs being filled at capacity.

“It’s one thing to go into nursing when things are normal, but these students know the realities that they will face because of the novel coronavirus and the variants that continue to develop, and yet they are ready to accept the challenges that come with it,” Meekins said at the beginning of the fall semester. “Our programs continue to grow and we are excited about what the future holds in meeting the needs in healthcare.”

The last nursing expansion approved was in 2019 when the Associate Degree Nursing program was increased by 38 students, allowing for 120 students to be enrolled.

“We offer many pathways to maximize the ability to increase the pipeline of nurses,” said Meekins. “With the current nursing shortages that exist, it is critical that we continue to find ways to serve more students and continue to produce quality, well-prepared nurses for the workforce.”

Prospective students interested in the nursing programs available at RCC may contact Dr. Meekins at (910) 272-3398 or emeekins@robeson.edu.