The Northeast Texas Community College Associate?s Degree Nursing (ADN) Program recently learned that it achieved a passing rate of 89.1 percent on the NCLEX board of nursing exam. This marked a significant improvement†over the last three testing years†and moved the program from conditional status back into full approval with the Texas Board of Nursing.
?We are exceptionally proud of our ADN nursing faculty and students. Not only did they achieve their goal ? they surpassed it by a significant margin.††This was truly a team effort and the result of a highly-focused improvement plan that was put in place by our nursing faculty and their hard work over the past two years to see it through to this successful outcome.? Ron Clinton, NTCC Interim President, said.
Numerous ADN programs around the state, including NTCC,†saw a drop in pass rates due to increased passing standards implemented by NCLEX in 2014. Though NTCC scores improved significantly in 2016, they fell just short of the 80 percent needed to avoid being placed on conditional status. Throughout the spring semester, NTCC faculty finalized a self-study and implemented numerous curriculum improvements. Those efforts paid off and resulted in the highest board pass rates the program has seen in the last five years.
?I would really like to commend our nursing faculty for rising to the challenge and implementing critical thinking strategies that not only helped our students pass their boards, but also prepared them to become more effective nurses,? Tonya Taylor, NTCC Director of Nursing, said.
The Texas Board of Nurses reinstated the program into full accreditation status in late October and Taylor says this is just the beginning of big things to come for NTCC nursing. They are currently accepting applications for a new LVN/Paramedic to RN transition program, beginning next June, that will allow more people already working in the field to take their careers to the next level. The deadline for applications for all NTCC nursing programs is December 20 for admission in the 2018 school year.
?Our 2017 class of nurses accomplished something truly outstanding and we are very proud of them. The majority have already moved on to bachelor?s programs at universities and are working as RNs. Our faculty are passionate about nursing and we love to help graduates get their start in such a rewarding career,? Taylor said.
To learn more about the LVN, ADN or Transition programs at NTCC, visit ntcc.edu/nursing or e-mail Taylor at†ttaylor@ntcc.edu.
