From the very beginning, Radiatu Kamara always felt called to care for others. "I come from a family with all nurses," she said, referencing her parents, brothers, and two sisters. But her path was not always linear. After enrolling in a different nursing program during the height of the pandemic, Kamara felt that she needed to make a change. She later enrolled in PGCC's Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program and quickly rediscovered her sense of purpose at the College.

"Being able to care for patients at the most vulnerable moments of their lives was inspiring to me," Kamara said. "This program taught me so much...things that I didn't think I could do, I'm now confident that I can do."

Her experience is one of many made possible by the College's close collaboration with clinical partners like Luminis Health and MedStar Health, which serve as learning labs and career gateways to shape the next generation of nurses and clinical care professionals. These partnerships are essential in ensuring students gain the skills, exposure, and mentorship they need to achieve their dreams of providing clinical care.

"Without our clinical agencies, we could not have a nursing successful program," Vivian P. Kuawogai, chair of the PGCC Nursing Department, said. "Our students must work with real patients to learn how to respond to the complexities of human health care." These clinical partnerships open doors for students to gain invaluable knowledge and make professional connections that bring them closer to achieving their goals of providing service to others.

MedStar Health has supported PGCC through its network of hospitals. Included in the network are Southern Maryland Hospital, National Rehabilitation Hospital, and Washington Hospital Center. Luminis Health, which includes Anne Arundel Medical Center and Doctors Community Medical Center, also provides clinical placements and partners with the College on state-funded grant initiatives that expand student access and opportunity. "All of the hospitals in the state have a new nurse residency program," Kuawogai emphasized, describing mentorship pathways that help students transition into registered or licensed practical nursing roles. "Our focus is to educate nurses who are safe, competent, and qualified for the level of care patients need."

Clinical training is incorporated into every semester for students, beginning with fundamentals in long-term care facilities and advancing through adult care, pediatric and maternal care, psychiatric nursing, and critical care.

These hands-on experiences help students connect classroom instruction with real-world practice.

"They get to see and work alongside nurses in the roles that they're aspiring to," Kuawogai said. "They get to care for patients that they're learning about in the classroom and in their labs."

Kuawogai shared that first-semester students focus on the basics of nursing, learning foundational skills while completing clinical hours in long-term care facilities. In the second semester, they expand their training to include care for childbearing families and patients with acute, easily reversible medical and surgical conditions and may rotate through obstetric units and medical surgical units at hospitals that are partners with PGCC.

At Luminis Health, PGCC nursing students are welcomed by clinical teams.

"Everyone's a recruiter," said Christine Frost, vice president of nursing for Luminis Health.

From identifying what semester students are in to encouraging them to observe different medical procedures, the goal is to make every interaction meaningful. "It's all hands on deck," Frost said. "If something is happening that would be a good experience, we grab that student and say, 'Come with me.'"

This supportive approach builds students' confidence and often opens doors to employment.

"It's an opportunity to begin their interview process and their exploration of the work environment," Frost said. "We're in a constant state of collaboration with PGCC so that we are doing the best for the students."

For students becoming certified professionals — the results speak for themselves. The PGCC Nursing Program graduated 91 nurses and reached a defining milestone: a 100 percent pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

We ranked number one in the country of all pre-licensure programs, according to the 23-25 NCSBN mountain measurement report” Kuawogai noted.

Developed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the NCLEX-RN exam is a nationwide test for determining the competency of nursing graduates. Over the past two years, PGCC's Nursing Program graduates have consistently performed above the NCLEX's requirement benchmarks for first-time testers.

In addition to high academic performance, the PGCC Nursing Department is also focused on expanding access through more flexible and adaptive programs.

"We are moving beyond the traditional face-to-face model to provide innovative learning experiences for our students," Kuawogai shared. "We just received funding to develop a hybrid transition program for licensed practical nurses and paramedics to become registered nurses. And our clinical partners are crucial in securing additional placements to prepare for the anticipated increase in the number of nurses for new roles." For Kuawogai, making sure that students gain as much experience as possible is crucial to meeting program goals and securing their future careers.

A Legacy of Growth

Hospitals are eager to hire PGCC graduates. Many of the College's nursing faculty are former students themselves. At least eight of the 24 full-time nursing instructors at PGCC are program alumni, along with some adjunct faculty members. The Nursing Department has also secured funding through Maryland's Nurse Support Program, which helps faculty members renew licenses, attend conferences, and stay current in the field.

Looking ahead, Kuawogai sees even more opportunity on the horizon for PGCC students. Inspired by the PGCC Academy of Health Sciences and the Prince George's County Public Schools' 3D Scholars program, her dream is to establish a nursing middle college program to offer high school students a direct pathway into the profession. "Nurses are the heartbeat of health care," Kuawogai said. "If we prioritize correctly, we will see a great return on investment locally and globally — because who knows where our students will end up."

For Kamara, the long-lasting impact of the nursing program is already clear. "Nursing is so broad, so flexible — you can do anything," she said. "It shaped the person I am today."

With the continued support of its clinical partners, PGCC remains committed to preparing the next generation of compassionate and skilled nurses who are empowered to shape the future of health care.