Practical Nursing Graduates Achieve 100% National Council Licensure Examination Pass Rate
St. Clairsville, OH (December 19, 2022) — Belmont College officials are pleased to announce that the College’s Practical Nursing (PN) program 2023 graduates completed their NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) and achieved a 100% pass rate.
The graduates and their hometowns are as follows:
Alledonia – Cheryl Johnson;
Barnesville – Caitlyn McGee;
Benwood – Amber Stanley;
Bethany – Jessica McGee;
Jacobsburg – Joshua Boyd;
Kimbolton – Teresia Halsey;
McMechen – Alyssa Keener;
Shadyside – Brittany Nixon;
St. Clairsvlle – Jordan Barnett; Kayla Bibbee; Daylin Mercer; Josie Stephens;
Wheeling – Yohandry Ruiz-Acevedo.
According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), the current average national pass rate for first time test takers of the national licensure exam knowns as the NCLEX-PN is 86.44%. The Ohio Board of Nursing considers first-time passing rates when approving college programs, requiring a 95% of the national average NCLEX passing rate.
Furthermore, Belmont’s Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program NCLEX testers have not only met, but exceeded, state and national pass rates for the past five years. The ADN pass rate for 2023 graduates was 94.12%.
Mrs. Karolyn Fox, Belmont College Director of Nursing said that Belmont attributes the improved pass rate to smaller class sizes, state-of-the-art facilities, simulation lab software, scheduled weekly tutoring conducted by course faculty, and post-graduation mentoring.
“We provide mentoring to our graduates at no cost for up six months or until they sit for the NCLEX exam for the first time,” said Fox. “This guidance consists of monitoring graduates’ progress on NCLEX preparation electronic software that mimics the NCLEX exam. We work hard to support our graduates as they prepare to take the exam. Our commitment to our graduates does not end on graduation day, as the possibility of passing the licensure exam currently goes down to 42% to 50% should they need to repeat the exam. Our goal is that all graduates pass the licensure exam on their first attempt so they can enter the workforce as quickly as possible.”
“We are incredibly proud of our graduates,” she continued. “Our nursing faculty is honored to have had the chance to watch them succeed.”
At Belmont College two nursing programs are maintained: the ADN program and the PN certificate program. These programs are designed to provide an educational opportunity in which students develop a scientific basis of nursing practice and master technical skills. Under direct supervision of qualified instructors, Belmont College nursing students experience patient interactions, in-class lectures, and hospital clinical experiences which all foster caring and empathetic approaches to nursing care.
Additionally, the nursing faculty that instructs and oversees the ADN and PN programs take their mentoring roles very seriously as they work to encourage students and provide them with a successful start. Many of these faculty members are highly experienced veterans with more than 30 years of experience. The range of these professors’ abilities is broad and includes, but is not limited to, medical-surgical nursing, maternal/infant nursing, chronic disease management and training, mental health nursing, critical care nursing, administrative nursing, pediatric nursing, public health, and home health.
“We are proud of our long history as a nursing program serving and meeting the needs of our community,” said Dr. Paul F. Gasparro, President.
Furthermore, the College’s Health Sciences Center, the region’s premier healthcare education facility, is home to all Belmont College Nursing programs. The building features state-of-the-art classrooms and science labs for biology, anatomy, and chemistry. These high-tech spaces enhance the learning environment and provide opportunities for students to nurture collaboration and innovation.
Applications for admission to the ADN and PN programs at Belmont College are now open. The College is accepting applications for the 2024 Fall term from now until May 1, 2024.
For more information about the nursing programs at Belmont College visit our website at www.belmontcollege.edu or contact Karolyn Fox, Director of Nursing Programs, at 740-699-3910 or kfox@belmontcollege.edu.
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