Prepared to begin providing excellent patient care in their communities, West Virginia University School of Nursing BS/BA to Bachelor of Science in Nursing students recently earned a 100% pass rate on the national licensure exam on their first attempt.
The 23 students graduated from the Morgantown Campus program in December. The program is now also offered at a second location, at the School of Nursing’s newest campus in Bridgeport.
The National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) is the standard assessment for entry level nursing practice. Students must successfully pass the computer adaptive test to become a licensed RN in the United States.
“The NCLEX is a benchmark for the quality of nursing education provided at the students’ respective institution,” Brad Phillips, Ph.D., associate dean of undergraduate programs and assistant professor, said. “This is not the first time our BS/BA to BSN fast-track students have achieved this outcome. In fact, cohorts of our fast-track students have met the 100% first-time pass rate eight additional times in the previous six years.”
The NCLEX pass rate for first-time examinees is 72.94% in the United States and 80% in West Virginia.
WVU’s fast-track BS/BA to BSN program is an accelerated program for college graduates who wish to become a registered nurse with a bachelor's degree in nursing. The program, offered on the Morgantown and Bridgeport campuses, is designed for full-time study. After 18 months of continuous enrollment, successful students obtain the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN) and are eligible to take the licensing examination for a registered professional nurse (RN).
“One thing that sets the fast-track program apart is student diversity,” Tonya Thompson, MSN, program coordinator and clinical associate professor, said. “Each student enters the program with something valuable and unique to offer, whether personal or professional attributes or even life experiences.
“Fast-track students tend to be highly motivated individuals who work as a team to support one another. Because the program is accelerated, most students reach out to lend some guidance and support to peers by engaging in the resiliency-based My Success Peer Mentoring program, which is also unique to fast-track students at this time.”
Seeing the need for additional fast-track opportunities, the Bridgeport Campus welcomed its first cohort of students in January.
“The Bridgeport Campus is a satellite campus for WVU Health Sciences and WVU School of Nursing,” Veronica Gallo, Ph.D., chair of the Bridgeport Campus, said. “We operate in a space located inside WVU Medicine United Hospital Center. Our students can enjoy smaller class sizes while still getting the same top-notch nursing education that WVU has to offer.”
“Our faculty at the School of Nursing are dedicated to the success of all of our students,” Phillips added. “Their expertise in education and associated clinical areas are essential in facilitating evidence-based pedagogical practices that positively influence student outcomes.”
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CONTACT: Wendy Holdren
Director of Communications and Marketing
WVU School of Nursing
304-581-1772; wendy.holdren@hsc.wvu.edu