Photo submitted Front row, from left, Destiny Smith of McComb, Samantha Whittington of Brookhaven and instructor Tangela Edwards, RN, BSN; back row, from left, Olivia Morgan of McComb, Victoria Stinson of McComb and Natasha Payne of Tylertown.

The Nurse Assistant/Health Care Assistant Course at Southwest Mississippi Community College has completed its 41st semester as a regular 16-hour Career Technical course.

Five students — including Samantha Whittington of Brookhaven — finished the course this semester under the direction of Tangela Edwards, RN, BSN.

The full semester program includes four core courses — Homemaker/Home Health Aide, Basic Health Care Procedures, Body Structure and Function, and Special Care Procedures.  The students received their certificates and are now qualified to work as nurse assistants, long-term care aides or home health aides in the Mississippi health care industry.

Participants in the program must be at least 18 years old and must have a high school diploma or GED, or be enrolled in the MI Best program. Students must have an ACT score of 14 or higher or a TABE score of at least 10.