<p><strong>COLUMBIA —</strong> Columbia State Community College honored 40 nursing graduates during a pinning ceremony at the Webster Athletic Center, welcoming them into the profession with the recitation of the Nightingale Pledge.</p><p>Graduates completed four semesters of classroom instruction and 540 hours of clinical training to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree. They will now pursue licensure by passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), the required credential to practice as registered nurses in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and home health settings. Columbia State nursing graduates have consistently outperformed national standards: the most recent data show a 98% first-attempt NCLEX pass rate for 2024 graduates compared to the national average of 90.8% for associate degree nursing programs.</p>