Oklahoma Association of Community Colleges

The OACC Support Staff Conference will be on Friday October 28, 2022 at Rose State College! Check out our website for updates!
http://okcommunitycolleges.com/support-staff-conference/

Check out our website for updates!
http://okcommunitycolleges.com/annual-conference/

As a result of preventative and healthcare disparities, rural residents are more likely to have higher morbidity and mortality rates than urban residents. Health disparities are especially prevalent among members of ethnic minority groups. These challenges highlight the need for nursing professionals (RN) in rural practice who have specific knowledge of rural people and places. Community colleges are the primary producer of professional nursing providers in rural Oklahoma.

Oklahoma’s rural community colleges have professional nursing education programs in 18 communities; Altus, Ardmore, Elk City, El Reno, Enid, Idabel, Lawton, McAlester, Miami, Muskogee, Poteau, Sallisaw Seminole, Stillwater, Tahlequah, Tishomingo, Tonkawa, and Wilburton.

Rural nurses are generalists, providing any care needed, such as dispensing medicine and treating patients with acute health problems or injuries for transfer to larger facilities. Many rural nurses have spent their entire lives in the same community and possess a deep understanding of the community.

Mark your calendars for The 55th Annual OACC Conference on Friday October 7, 2022 at Oklahoma City Community College!
Check for updates on Facebook and our website:
http://okcommunitycolleges.com/annual-conference/

Rural populations face increasing disparities in many health outcomes and a significant gap in life expectancy compared to urban populations. At the heart of these disparities is a lack of access to healthcare, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many rural areas have a shortage of healthcare providers and lack a hospital or similar facility. Many rural hospitals have closed or at financial risk of closure, which further impairs the local healthcare workforce. Nursing care is instrumental in achieving quality outcomes for patients, families, and communities and is the largest sector of the healthcare workforce. This situation is especially true in rural areas. Given the lack of access to specialists, the rural nurse is essential, treating patients with diverse and sometimes complicated conditions. Rural nurses are generalists, providing any care needed, such as dispensing medicine and treating patients with acute health problems or injuries for transfer to larger facilities.

The 2022 All-Oklahoma Academic Team winners are:

Macy Nobles and Hayden Workman, Carl Albert State College; Jayla McGuire and Rylie Spaulding, Connors State College; Jessica R***r, Eastern Oklahoma State College McAlester; Maggie Armstrong, Ashleigh Gay and Randi Riley, Eastern Oklahoma State College Wilburton; Katyn Denson and Blake Jones, Murray State College; Abby Ishmael and Kaylee Wilson, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College; Ashton Linton and Abriana Suprobo, Northern Oklahoma College; April Burnham, Michelle Kott and Adebukola Okunuga-Porter, Oklahoma City Community College; Andrew McClary and Garin Summerlin, Rose State College; Elizabeth Thomlinson and Jessica Waddell, Seminole State College; Cing Kim and Kimberly Orr, Tulsa Community College Metro Campus; Lun Cing and Keirsten Metcalf, Tulsa Community College Southeast Campus; Sunny Wachsmuth, Tulsa Community College West Campus; Paige Condon and Maribel Garza-Willis, Western Oklahoma State College. Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 nations.

OACC supports Oklahoma's community colleges by providing professional development opportunities, advocacy, and connections with key stakeholders to improve higher education in the state.

The All-Oklahoma Academic Team Program provides statewide recognition to outstanding two-year college students. To be eligible, students must be nominated by their college president to the Phi Theta Kappa All-USA Academic Team. Nominees must be eligible to graduate during the current academic year and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5. Medallions and certificates will be presented to all team members. Oklahoma is one of thirty-nine states participating in the State Academic Team Program.