News and Updates

SGSC Hosts Pierce County Students

Students from Ellen Knowlton’s CNA class at Pierce County High School visited South Georgia State College’s School of Nursing

Pierce County High School students who are training to earn their Nursing Assistant certificates visited both the Douglas and Waycross campuses of South Georgia State College earlier this month. On both campuses, PCHS students toured the School of Nursing facilities to see what educational opportunities SGSC had to offer in order to prepare them for the medical field after high school.

Twenty-six high school students from the PCHS Certified Nursing Assistant program got to experience a simulated Ebola outbreak and deal with a patient in the School of Nursing’s simulation lab. The high schoolers dressed out in personal protective equipment and helped Dr. Scott Thigpen, the Dean of Nursing, monitor and treat the patient. Dr. Thigpen was impressed with the high schoolers’ knowledge and ability to catch on quickly to the learning activity. “The students were adept at lending a hand when the situation called for it, and were quick to jump in and help. They’ve got a bright future ahead of then in the field of nursing.”

The CNA students were also able to test their abilities in SGSC’s Nursing Skills Lab, where second-year SGSC nursing students demonstrated how to give injections, start an IV, and how to insert a breathing tube. PCHS students also tried their hand at performing these tasks under the direction of the SGSC students. Pierce County CNA instructor Ellen Knowlton said the tour was “a great chance for the kids to get some hands-on experience. I can show them what things are, but they need to be able to use them. This is a great practical learning exercise for their upcoming CNA exams.”

Executive Director of Student Success Dr. Greg Tanner said that these opportunities are a great way for SGSC to get to know potential future students and start building relationships with them and the local high schools, where many of the college’s students come from. “SGSC enjoys hosting local young people from this community. This is a wonderful chance for them to explore our School of Nursing and all that it could provide them in the future. We hope to see all of these high school students soar as Hawks soon!”

For more information on SGSC’s School of Nursing, please visit www.sgsc.edu.