Looking for a place to work on your bedside manner and start a promising new career in the process? Look no farther than your hometown.
The Vocational Education and Extension Board (VEEB), a division of the county that oversees educational facilities such as the Fire Service Academy and EMS Academy, recently transplanted one of its facilities — The School of Practical Nursing — into a new location right in the heart of Hicksville, where they recently held an open house to celebrate their new home.
The nursing school was located in a building on Jerusalem Avenue in front of the Nassau County Holly Patterson Nursing Home in Uniondale for the past 30 years. However, Program Supervisor Agnes Quinn noted that that they had finally outgrown that building, and as a result, a search was undertaken to find a successor to house the nursing program. Eventually one was found courtesy of St. Ignatius Loyola Parish of Hicksville, and The School of Practical Nursing moved into its new home at 30 East Cherry St. on Aug.15.
“We went to look at different buildings, and the administration of Saint Ignatius has just been great with us,” said Quinn, a Hicksville resident who has headed up the school since August 2013. “They have rented this building to us — we signed a 10-year lease — and Hicksville is great for us because it’s very accessible. It’s great for driving, bus, and train. We really thought it would be very convenient for our students.”
The VEEB nursing program is 50 years old. Students go through an 11 month program and those who successfully complete the program can then sit for the New York State Licensing Exam and become a licensed, practical nurse. The school charges $13,000 for county residents and $13,500 for out of county non-residents.
Requirements for the nursing program are such that it’s a realistically obtainable goal for almost any member of the general public; a high school diploma or equivalent degree are a must, and prospective students must pass a basic entrance exam, background check and drug screening, Quinn said. Once accepted into the program, she noted that the program provides students a truly comprehensive nursing education.
“Students split their time between the classroom and hands-on, clinical training,” she said. “We have 202 students presently, and half the students are out in clinical this week…so, they flip back and forth. All our faculty members are Registered Nurses with Bachelors’ Degrees in Nursing — that’s a state requirement — and half of my full-timers have Masters Degrees.”
Ashley Paul of Brooklyn is a recent addition to the nursing school. She said that taking a new path in life was a scary proposition, but so far she’s a believer in her choice.
“I have a few aunts that came to this school a few years back, and they always told me that it had a good reputation, so I decided to come here,” she said. “The teachers do their best to make sure we understand the concepts, and it’s a very comprehensive course that I think anyone looking to enter the field of nursing could benefit from greatly.”
Christina Ikie, also of Brooklyn, said that she knew several people who attended the school, but despite all of them telling her how great it was, she said that she nonetheless procrastinated in coming; but now that she’s here, she said that she’s kicking herself for waiting so long.
“I like it a lot…they provide all the help you need,” Ikie said. “I really like the concept of having class one week, and one week of clinical…it gives you a chance to have hands-on experience in your learning. I really love the program, and the fact that it’s 11 months as opposed to others that are 18 months is really attractive as well.”
Quinn said that the move to a new facility has opened up a fresh new chapter in The School of Practical Nursing. The new building has ushered in more modern classroom settings that are sure to provide the best in learning for fresh new generations of nursing students for years to come.
“We’ve updated our technology. Everything is newer and more up-to-date, and the classes now all have digital Smartboards that do everything,” she said. “Also, we have more room and square footage. As of now, we probably could afford to take more people in and increase our class size, but we made the decision this semester not to…we’ll see how we are in the future, which is looking very bright.”
To find out more about The School of Practical Nursing, visit their website at www.veeb.org.
