CCLP/LYNETTE SOWELL   Lynette Connell Jones with the group Christian Courage speaks to the nursing department at Central Texas College during last Friday's nurse appreciation luncheon.

Nursing department honored with luncheon

Nursing department honored with luncheon
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 
 
In observation of Nurse Appreciation Week, the Nursing Department of Central Texas College honored their own at a luncheon last Friday.
 
Lynette Connell Jones, with the group Christian Courage, spoke to the nursing department faculty and representatives from area clinical facilities where nursing students get their hands-on training. 
 
Jones became a quadriplegic in 1999 as a result of a car accident, and shared about the impact nurses have on the lives of their patients, especially from her perspective as a caregiver and as a patient. 
 
“Even now, I still have 24-hour nursing care,” Jones said. Her nurses who assist in her care have become almost like part of the family. 
 
In fact, Jones said one of the nurses involved in her care was trained in the CTC program. 
 
After Jones spoke, the dean of CTC's central campus, Janice Alexander, read a proclamation from Killeen's mayor, Scott Cosper, proclaiming Nurse Appreciation Week. 
 
Local clinical affiliates were recognized to include Baylor Scott & White, Metroplex Health Systems, Seton Medical Center, Coryell Memorial, Darnall Army Medical Center and Veterans Affairs healthcare.
 
Sandra Thomason, MSN, RN, is the chair of CTC's nursing department. Thomason was the one to hand out recognitions to area clinical affiliates. She told the department faculty that CTC's clinical programs help make it such a strong overall program for nursing students. 
 
Alexander said this is the first luncheon of this type that the college has given for the department. 
 
“They are providing nurses for the community, and we are very proud of them,” Alexander said. 
 
The quality of the program isn't known only in Central Texas. “When I was in the Atlanta airport, someone heard us talking about CTC, and they said, '(CTC) has a really great program.” 
 
CTC is enlarging its nursing program's reach, Thomason said. Starting this fall, they will be offering a Vocational Nursing program in the Fredericksburg area. Austin Community College is no longer including that location in its service area, and now CTC will be stepping in. CTC already has a presence in Marble Falls with its nursing program, but opening a location in Fredericksburg is a first for the college. 

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