Pima Medical Institute Mesa Nursing Program Named Number One in the State

Pima Medical Institute's Mesa campus Nursing program was just named number one in the state by the Arizona Board of Nursing. Shown here are the program's faculty and staff. First row, left to right: Nancy Moreland, faculty member; Elvia Cagle, office assistant; Carmela De Leon; faculty member; Carl Schell, faculty member. Back row, from left to right: Jeanette Jones, faculty member; Sharon Caves, nursing program director; Debra Thibodeaux, Mesa campus director; Alesia Washington, faculty member; Doris Minx, nursing program clinical director.

​An exciting announcement comes from Pima Medical Institute, a CECU member institution, whose Mesa campus nursing associate degree program was named number one in the state by the Arizona Board of Nursing in its 2015 report. 

​​Taking a look at the numbers, this recognition becomes even more impressive. While the state of Arizona shows a National Council Licensure Examination’s (NCLEX) pass rate of 82.95% and an on-time graduation rate of 67.67%, Pima Medical’s Mesa campus boasts a 91.67% pass rate and a 92% on-time graduation rate for 2015. 

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“Many colleges gauge their institution’s effectiveness on the success and outcomes of their students. Both our Mesa and Tucson nursing programs have a long history of student success,” said Pima Medical Institute President and Chief Executive Officer, Fred Freedman. "The most recent Arizona Board of Nursing ranking validates Pima Medical’s commitment of offering high-caliber education to achieve the best possible results. We are grateful that the Board of Nursing maintains such high standards and thankful to our graduates for representing themselves and our institution with such distinction.”

Pima Medical’s success can be attributed to the dedicated staff and faculty who work tirelessly to deliver quality education to the program’s students. One such example is Sharon Caves, Program Director for the Mesa Nursing program, who describes the individualistic approach taken with students at Pima Medical, saying that they “advocate for the students to be the best they can be, at the level they can accomplish it, while helping them envision that they can indeed become even better.” It has been proven, she says, that their “evidence-based admission and selection process and staff,” as well as their student support services, have been an integral part of the program’s success.

Debra Thibodeaux, Mesa Campus Director, agrees with Caves’ statements as well, saying: “We have a small community of faculty, staff, and leaders that are determined to inspire our students toward being their very best.” This recognition, she says, reflects Pima Medical’s commitment to excellence.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the health care and health care support occupations will be the  two fastest-growing occupations between now and 2024, with a combined increase of 2.3 million in employment, representing about 1 in 4 new jobs, as reported in CECU’s Shortage of Skills: Healthcare Professionals and Nurses. Institutions such as Pima Medical Institute play a critical role in providing the skilled professionals needed to respond to this ever-increasing skills demand.