Sept. 20, 2017 | The UAMS College of Nursing boasts a 95.63 percent pass rate for first-time takers of the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) in 2017. The NCLEX is an adaptive, computerized test taken by BSN graduates required for licensure. The test length can range from 75 to 265 questions. UAMS’ 2017 pass rate was among the highest in the state and marked an improvement from 2016. In the last five years, UAMS has had 520 BSN graduates and averaged better than a 90 percent first-time pass rate on the licensing exam.
“It speaks to the quality of the students and faculty in the College of Nursing,” said Mark Tanner, DNP, RN, director of the Baccalaureate Program. The BSN program has incorporated changes to the curriculum in the past few years in an effort to further improve the BSN student’s knowledge and understanding, including the addition of gross anatomy to coursework, integrating more technology into the classroom and implementation of learning communities. The program curriculum also includes a great amount of simulations and case studies to ensure BSN students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will help them both on exams and in the clinical environment.
“One of the advantages of our program is we’re teaching students the why and how,” said Tanner. “When our nurses go out into the field, they won’t just do something because they’re told or were taught to do it a certain way, they’ll understand the process, recognize if there is a problem and react accordingly.”
The BSN program has 230 students.