Despite having to complete their senior year online at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic last spring, nursing students from the Conway School of Nursing class of 2020 achieved a 100% pass rate the first time they took the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) exam.
“Faculty and students alike rose to the many challenges occasioned by the pandemic and employed simulation, online class sessions, conferencing, and virtual hospitals to master complex concepts,” says Dean Patricia McMullen. “Our NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates are a tribute to all of their hard work!”
The NCLEX is a required examination for those seeking nursing licensure. It contains questions ranging from management of care to safety and infection control. Students from Catholic University have traditionally performed very well on this exam, with most students passing the exam if taken within a year of their graduation.
This testing achievement comes soon after a release from U.S. News & World Report, which ranked the Conway School of Nursing’s online graduate program as #5 on a list of 194 programs across the country. This ranking marks a significant jump from 2020, when the online program was listed at #11. Catholic University is also currently ranked #36 in the U.S. News and World Report list of 2021 Best Graduate Schools for Nursing and #14 on a list of the Best Online Family Nurse Practitioner Masters Programs.
CatholicU was also named to the Princeton Review ranking as one of the 2021 Top Online Nursing Programs.