Southeast Missouri State Universitys Department of Nursing has announced its 2019 baccalaureate graduating class has achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN).
We are very excited for and proud of our May 2019 graduates for achieving this perfect 100 percent first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, said Dr. Gloria Green, chair of Southeasts Department of Nursing. “We attract and admit very qualified students who are aware of the rigor of the program, and understand the high standard of practice for which we strive and how that standard will prepare them for success, including working with actual patients. Our students consistently are willing to put forth the effort and time required to succeed.
The NCLEX-RN is the national licensure examination which allows graduates to be eligible for licensure in any state in the United States. The NCLEX-RN is administered for the Missouri State Board of Nursing by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing located in Chicago, Ill.The testing is a computerized adaptive format, meaning that each graduate has a different examination based on the national test plan. Graduates may take between 75 and 265 questions; and that number is determined by how the graduate answers each question, and the difficulty level of each question as the graduate progresses through the exam. The computer automatically shuts off once the candidates success level has been determined.Results are communicated to the candidate via the individual state boards of nursing.
This years results are part of a long tradition of excellence from Southeast students excelling on the licensure exams and receiving results higher than the state and national averages, Green said.
In the last 15 years, which includes 30 graduating classes, our first-time pass rate has averaged above 91 percent and three other graduating classes have achieved a 100 percent pass rate, she said. Also in that time period, graduates have exceeded the state and national averages.In 2018, our pass rate was 96.23 percent, while the state of Missouris pass rate for all programs was 90.55 percent and the nation was 88.30 percent.
The key to the students success is having patient care and experiential learning experiences that build skills and knowledge throughout their time in the program, said Green. Having nursing faculty members with academic, clinical and industry expertise also contributes to providing a comprehensive and dynamic program that is fully approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing and accredited by the national organization Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Southeasts students are taught by very well qualified faculty, a majority of whom hold doctoral degrees, and all of whom have clinical and theory expertise in their specialty areas, Green said. Our students consistently speak of the support, availability and passion for teaching our faculty display.
The success of the program is reflected in the positive reputation it has garnered across the country and the success graduates have found across the industry.
Our students are actively recruited by a variety of institutions in multiple states, and our high pass rates are assuredly a factor in that process, she said. Our students are often employed before they walk across the stage at commencement. In addition, a majority of our graduates will eventually pursue graduate education, and our program prepares them for that as well.