School Nurse Thankful for Her Experience at RichmondCC

July 20, 2018 - School nurse Nicole Monroe who tends to the aches, pains and ailments of students at Scotland High School graduated from Richmond Community College’s Associate Degree Nursing program in 2008.  

“The combination of clinical skills and critical thinking I learned from RichmondCC provided me with the tools and education I needed to care of others,” Monroe said. “The nursing program helped me gain the educational skills I needed for my career, but I also become close to my fellow nursing classmates. It was like we were a big family, and I will always keep in contact with them. I would do my experience at RichmondCC all over again.” 

Monroe said she had a great experience at RichmondCC because she took advantage of the many resources the College has to offer, and she got involved in clubs and organizations that allowed her to meet many people. The financial aid office helped her find and apply for scholarships; she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and the Student Government Association; and she was vice president for the ADN Class of 2008.  

“RichmondCC made me more marketable and positioned me for a good career with a good salary,” Monroe said. “The demand for nurses is very high across the county, and it makes a difference when you go to work and love what you do. RichmondCC gave me that opportunity.” 

The Laurinburg resident chose to attend RichmondCC because of its location, affordable tuition rates, small class sizes and the high pass rate for the nursing program. 

She also discovered RichmondCC offered much more through the personalized attention the instructors provided and the quality of education she received.  

“Mrs. Ronnie Tunstall is a tough cookie, and she always put me on the spot in clinicals to talk out a skill or perform an IV stick in front of everyone,” Monroe said. “One day she pulled me aside and said she believed in me and that she is always harder on students she knows will go out and be great nurses.” 

Monroe is currently enrolled in the RN to BSN program at Winston-Salem State University to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. 

Monroe said she always recommends RichmondCC to the students she sees at Scotland High School.  

“I tell them you can go get a two-year degree and achieve much of the same success you could at a four-year university, and it’s more affordable,” she said.