Catawba College’s pre-licensure nursing degree pathway opens a world of healthcare opportunities. Students who do not possess a registered nursing license are prepared to practice as a generalist in a variety of healthcare settings and build a foundation for graduate nursing education.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted almost everything - including nursing education. Students were shifted to remote learning. Many clinical sites were completely shuttered as healthcare facilities scrambled to accommodate the onslaught of incoming patients.
Catawba saw its Pre-Licensure Bachelor of Science first-time pass rate for the NCLEX-RN exam to be a registered nurse fall to 67% for the program. Nursing programs are expected to maintain their first-time pass rate at 95% of the national average, which is approximately an 80% first-time pass rate. As a result, the program has been placed on “warning status” with the North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON).
While one statistic does not tell the full story of the program, Catawba chose to use it as an incentive to make immediate changes to better support current and new nursing students.
The program was already illustrating strong outcomes. 97% of our students had an overall pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam. 100% of graduates in the program received job offers prior to their graduation.
Catawba immediately added more stringent requirements to be admitted to the program, added new faculty positions, increased clinical time, added “Boot Camp” programs, upgraded test preparation software and support, enhanced the curriculum for certain courses based on data from student exams, added a required comprehensive exam to their junior year. They immediately used this as an opportunity to rethink and implement new teaching-learning opportunities.
“We are very proud of our overall pass rate of 97%. This means only 1 student has not yet passed the NCLEX-RN exam, said Dr. Constance Rogers-Lowery, Catawba College Provost. “That fact, along with our 100% job placement before commencement, demonstrate the quality program we offer at Catawba. However, we take very seriously the importance of improving the first-time pass rate and are working diligently to strengthen our program and improve that statistic.”
Warning status from NCBON does not mean Catawba’s nursing program will be shut down, lose accreditation, or is on probation. The nursing faculty are in regular communication with the NCBON to utilize their guidance on best practices, for regular assessment of performance and predictor data, and for accountability.
While the pandemic caused massive disruptions in nursing education, it has inspired changes that will better prepare graduates for unexpected circumstances. Catawba’s implemented changes will result in continuous improvement for the program and strengthen what was already a quality nursing program
Witnessing the courage of nurses on the front lines may inspire many people to pursue nursing degrees. Catawba is poised to help future nurses reach their career goals.
