Twenty-eight of 29 Florida A&M University (FAMU) School of Nursing (SON) spring 2023 graduates passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) on the first try. That gives the SON 2023 spring cohort a 96.55 percent first-time pass rate.
“These exceptional results show what happens when we make a collaborative and strategic approach to student success,” President Larry Robinson, Ph.D. “I am delighted for our School of Nursing graduates. The health care industry needs their expertise and their talent. FAMU is privileged to be able to provide such important service.”
School of Nursing students practice their skills in the school’s simulation lab.
(Credit: Glenn Beil/Office of Communications)
FAMU’s 2023 overall annual NCLEX 82.46 percent score includes two SON graduates who waited one to two years after graduation to sit for the exam, ultimately lowering the 2023 cohort average, said Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost Allyson Watson, Ph.D.
She said the SON students who took the NCLEX immediately after graduation were successful in test passage rates, which shows that the work and support mechanisms have proven outcomes.
“We are making tremendous progress as we continue to prepare nursing professionals. Our current standing on the NCLEX is reflective of the work and investment that our faculty, clinical partners, and students have committed to,” Watson said. “We will remain steadfast in our pursuit of academic excellence and student success.”
According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the NCLEX is designed to test knowledge, skills, and abilities essential to the safe and effective practice of nursing at the entry level.
Chair of the Florida Board of Governors Brian Lamb lauded the School of Nursing’s progress.
“FAMU continues to make significant gains in key areas like nursing by preparing its students for high-impact jobs of the future, further distinguishing itself as a top 100 nationally ranked public institution,” Lamb said.
The gains resulted from a concerted strategy put together by administrators, faculty, and staff to prepare students for the licensure exams, said SON Interim Dean Lisa Gardner, DNP. That included increasing the number of academic advisors and academic success coaches. Students also took the predictor exam in preparation for the NCLEX.
“Our faculty has worked tremendously hard to create a learning environment for student success, and the students responded positively,” Gardner said. “We will continue to utilize resources to equip our students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to be successful professional nurses and leaders in the healthcare field. I am very proud of our students, faculty, and staff for their hard work and dedication.”
