Nursing Students Recognized in Pinning Ceremony
Graduates Include Nine CNA & Four Phlebotomy Students
Left to right: CNA Students Natalie Rey Talamantes, Ruidoso Downs; Seily Portillo, Ruidoso Downs; Mariayah Renteria, Ruidoso Downs; Kanae Sago, Mescalero; Marlen Gonzalez, Ruidoso Downs; Mili Cornelius, Alto; Brillianty Sanchez, Ruidoso; Leia Girven, Ruidoso; Ana Alvidrez, Ruidoso; Phlebotomy Students Sharon Yuzos, Ruidoso Downs; Velia Trujillo, Capitan. Not Pictured: Phlebotomy Students Monica Davalos, Tularosa; and Shawna Gunter, Ruidoso.
ENMU-Ruidoso Branch Community College recognized nine Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) students and four Phlebotomy students Saturday, Nov. 8.
ENMU-Ruidoso President Ryan Trosper welcomed the audience. Career & Technical Education Director Gray Mowery gave opening remarks and introduced the instructors. CNA/Phlebotomy Instructor Jean Jewell gave a blessing and presented students for pinning. CNA/Phlebotomy Instructor Dorothy Roberts pinned the students.
Pinning a graduating CNA or Phlebotomy student symbolizes their initiation into the nursing or phlebotomy profession and marks the completion of the Nursing Assistant Certificate and the Phlebotomy of Occupational Training.
The CNA graduates and their hometowns include:
Alto: Mili Cornelius
Mescalero: Kanae Sago
Ruidoso: Ana Alvidrez, Leia Girven, Brillianty Sanchez
Ruidoso Downs: Marlen Gonzalez, Seily Portillo, Mariayah Renteria, Natalie Rey Talamantes
Nursing Assistant Certificate of Occupational Training is a five-credit hour program that includes a basic life support (CPR) class, the nursing assistant theory class and lab. The program is designed to prepare students to successfully sit for the state nurse assistant certification examination. The CNA Program educates students in physical, emotional, and spiritual assessment of residents’ needs and concerns. Students receive training and practice in all state required resident care skills in the classroom lab as well as in several community settings. Students learn resident rights as well as the laws that protect those rights. Understanding of the role of the nurse assistant within the legal scope of practice is an expected outcome of this program.
Upon program completion students will be able to care for people who are ill or have impaired self-care capabilities; have the necessary knowledge of body system functions including normal ranges for vital signs so that they are able to assess and report patients/residents status to nursing staff; provide basic patient care such as feeding, bathing, range of motion exercises, transfer patients, change linens, mouth and dental care and repositioning; and provide all indirect care as required by state guidelines including patient safety, patient rights and preferences, infection control and patient/resident comfort.
Pinning a graduating phlebotomy student symbolizes their initiation into the phlebotomy profession and marks the completion of their occupation lab training.
The Phlebotomy graduates and their hometowns include:
Capitan: Velia Trujillo
Ruidoso: Shawna Gunter
Ruidoso Downs: Sharon Yuzos
Tularosa: Monica Davalos
The Certificate of Occupational Training in Phlebotomy consists of three portions: phlebotomy theory, skills lab, and clinical experience. A student must pass all three portions in order to receive a certificate from ENMU-Ruidoso. In Phlebotomy Theory, students learn blood collection theory based upon national standards for phlebotomy procedures. An introduction to the anatomy and physiology of the main body systems, including the tests, terminology, and pathological conditions associated with these systems is included along with an introduction to laboratory clerical duties. Students apply theory and practice the procedures and techniques for collecting blood and other specimens in the skills labs. Students who pass both theory and lab have the opportunity to practice skills and to apply the theory learned in class during a supervised clinical experience in participating hospitals and clinics.
Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to take the national certification exam for phlebotomists (American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Phlebotomy Technician (PBT) Board of Certification). This program requires 100 clinical hours and 100 sticks and is offered in part by Tri Core Labs and Lincoln County Medical Center.
To learn more about ENMU-Ruidoso’s pre-nursing and nursing assistant programs, visit the website at ruidoso.enmu.edu/academics/associate/pre-nursing-student-nurse-assistant/, or call the College at 575-315-1120. Registration is currently underway for the 2026 Spring Semester that begins Jan. 12.
