School of Nursing and Allied Health

Welcome to the Excelsior Community College School of Nursing and Allied Health.

Mission

The School of Nursing & Allied Health -SONAH consistent with the ECC’s mission emphasizes that “We transform lives through quality education and training, applied research and partnerships with local and international communities.”

Vision

The School of Nursing and Allied Health- SONAH in keeping with the ECC ‘s vision emphasizes that “We are a transformative, agile higher education institution forging linkages and positively impacting our communities.”

The School of Nursing formerly the Nursing Department was one of the first four departments of the Excelsior Community College when it began it’s official sojourn in September 1974 . The idea was to offer an associate degree programme with a bias towards school nursing, this however was met with resistance from certain quarters. What eventually materialized was a programme offering a diploma in Nursing with a focus on school health. Incorporated in the curriculum was liberal arts and science and provisions for extensive training in community health.

Excelsior Community College School of Nursing (ECCSON) was the first of its kind in Jamaica, preparing prospective nurses in a community college setting. Enrollees had full students status unlike the traditional Nursing Schools that were operating under the apprenticeship system. The funding of EXED School of Nursing was managed under the umbrella of the Ministry of Education, while the others were prodigies of the Ministry of Health, except for Northern Caribbean University (formerly West Indies College School of Nursing) which was a private entrepreneurial activity. During the 1980s ECCSON collaborated with the University of Miami in offering a Bachelors of Science in Nursing, but concluded this arrangement because it was no longer viable.

In 1985 the school encountered a setback due to financial difficulty resulting in its closure transiently. The Ministry of Health was approached for assistance to ensure that the current batch of students graduated. In good faith and after a feasibility study by their task force to justify viability, the Ministry of Health came to the nursing school’s rescue.

Motivational Message

“Positive Purposeful Productivity”, are words which when combined can “create enormous power and this power can lead to people in organizations becoming consistently motivated and highly successful.” Dr. MòNique J. Grant Coke, 2021.

Words are critical to success and these three words creatively combined by Dr. MJ. Grant Coke in 2021, “Positive Purposeful Productivity” – for short, PPP has now become the Mantra for SONAH. The creation of these three words combined, has been an intentional move by Dr. MJ. Grant Coke to enable consistent motivation in leading the School of Nursing and Allied Health at Excelsior Community College. Dr. MJ. Grant Coke since 2021 has strategically used these three words in operational meetings, decisively and consistently leading to greater empowerment for All.

As a result, “Positive, Purposeful, Productivity” – PPP is observed in teamwork, teaching and learning, and just about all aspects for students, lecturers and staff operations, with the team exhibiting higher motivation at all levels. This the SONAH believes has contributed to SONAH’s continued success and completion rates above 85%.

Dr. MÒNIQUE J. GRANT COKE, PhD, DNP, RN, RM, MHN.

STUDENTS who join SONAH become SMARTER
•S: SCHOOL engagement and participation
•M: MOTIVATED to learn
•A: ATTITUDES needed…..ALTITUDE, Achievement & Accountability
•R: RESOURCEFUL, RESPECTFUL accessed.
•T: TIME –MANAGEMENT & TEAMWORK developed
•E: EXCELLENCE while EXCELLING consistently
•R: RECOGNITION, REWARDED- Awards Ceremony & Graduation

SPECIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS -Over the 50 Years

First of its kind in the Caribbean
Collaborations with UWI and UTECH
Collaboration with CNS – New Foundland and Labador
Collaboration with Jamaica Self Help Canada and Alumni – Scholarships
Carol Tai Scholarships
Central Virginia Mission Team support through the Methodist Church.
Construction of a 14 million dollar- Simulation lab.
Many representations at conferences locally and internationally, Staff and Students
Students continue to cop top student researcher in the college
Students continue to excel in the college with the highest GPA among their graduating cohort with being made Valedictorian and Salutatorian
Staff involvement – NCJ, NAJ, MOHW – policy level
Student nurse of the year – several times
Nursing school of the year 2024 /25
Sports day champs
ISO certification 2022 and renewed for 2024/25
Runner ups in National students nurses of the year (NSOY)competition-
- 2021 – Re entered NSOY competition – 4th place
- 2022 – First runner up
- 2023 – Nurse of the Year and Student Nurse of the Year
- 2024 – Nursing School of the Year

Winning Nursing School of the Year Presentation

The history of the Assistant Nurse Training Programme (ANTP), over 50 years

In 1969, under the governance of the Ministry of Health, the Assistant Nursing Programme began training at the Bellevue, Princess Margaret, Spalding, Savann-la-mar, and Ulster Spring Hospitals. After ten (10) years, the programme was discontinued. It restarted in 1991 at the Spaulding Hospital and the Princess Margaret Hospital in 1994. In 1996, the decision was taken that all educational programmes should be transferred from the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of Education. In 2000, the Assistant Nurses Training Programme became the first to be transferred to Community Colleges. Excelsior Community College was one of the four (4) schools offering training programmes for Assistant Nurses. The duration of the programme is currently eighteen months (or two academic years) and consists of theoretical and practical components. On successful completion, the graduates are referred to as Enrolled Assistant Nurses. They are regarded as second-level nurses, who function under the supervision of a Registered Nurse or a Medical Practitioner. Legally, their scope of practice is governed by the Nurses and Midwives Act 1964. The Excelsior Community College Assistant Nurse Training Programme has made significant strides since its commencement but has also experienced many challenges. From 1996 to 2025 Excelsior Community College, Assistant Nurse Training Programme received over 5,000 to 7,000 applicants qualified and unqualified. Prior to 2019 intake into the programme was every two (2) years. In 2019 yearly intake commenced following approval by the Nursing Council of Jamaica. Between 1996 to 2024 the Assistant Nurse Training Programme experiences over 98% of passes in their Nursing Council Qualifying Examination. Our completion rate from 1996 to 2024 stands at over 95%. Our completion rate is very high with 95% of students graduating at the end of their training. Graduates who have been gainfully employed and completed further studies are located worldwide. The Assistant Nurse Training programme plays a significant role in the community and the health and education system. Applicants are received from St. Catherine, Kingston, Clarendon, Portland, St. Mary and St. Thomas. The majority are from St. Thomas and Portland. Princess Margaret Hospital, one of our stakeholders, provides support and the team from the Assistant Nurse Training Programme also provides support with training needs and participation in functions such as The Annual Patient Christmas Luncheon. The effects of COVID-19 resulted in the relocation of the programme to the Wesley Grove Campus about 15km from the hospital. The Central Virgina Medical Mission Team has been making yearly visits sponsoring each student with nursing kits and donated computers, printers, laptops and books to the programme when they made their last visit to the programme. From 1996 to 2018 Valedictory Service usually marked the end of academic activities in April before students sat their Nursing Council Qualifying Examination and in November, they would prepare themselves for college graduation. The graduation ceremony is now held in February of each year.The Excelsior Community College is one of the most highly rated programme and continues to make an impact in the community, the nation and worldwide.