Nursing class achieves 100 percent pass rate

The BSN nursing class of 2020 gathered for this photo taken before the COVID-19 outbreak.

Henderson State University’s graduating pre-licensure BSN nursing class of 2020 received 100 percent first time pass rates on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for new nurses.

The NCLEX exam is a standardized exam that each state board of nursing uses to determine whether or not a candidate is prepared for entry-level nursing practice after completing an accredited nursing degree.

These are the results for the class of 2020 and not the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, which uses the fiscal year for reporting.

“This outstanding accomplishment is a direct result of the excellent students, faculty, and staff in nursing at Henderson State,” said Dr. Shelley Austin, nursing department chair and assistant professor.” Accomplishing this feat in the middle of a pandemic is a testament of the students, faculty, and staff’s dedication to excellence.”

Austin added that most nursing students had job offers by the time they graduated. A few waited to seek employment by choice, but were offered nursing positions within two months after graduation.

Henderson offers the following nursing degree programs:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (traditional) available on campus in Arkadelphia

• R.N to B.S.N. (online) available for registered nurses with flexible practicum projects with two different start dates: Fall and Spring

• Dual Degree R.N. to B.S.N. available at National Park College and in Hot Springs

• L.P.N. to B.S.N. (traditional) available on campus in Arkadelphia

• Online M.S.N. Family Nurse Practitioner

• Online M.S.N. Nurse Administrator

• Online M.S.N. Nurse Educator Certificate
  

The Online MSN program graduated its inaugural cohort of 20 graduates this year.