by It’s more than just getting an education when you join NCC’s Registered Nursing program, you’re learning to handle a life.
“My goal is to assure that graduates leave NCC understanding they are entering the ‘most trusted’ profession, that caring alone is not enough, and that they are at the forefront of efforts to improve the health of our nation,” said Mary Jean Osborne, director of the nursing program.
Osborne and her staff prepare students entering the program for a vital job that’s often overlooked.
“Nurses are the front line of defense for patient safety in all settings,” Osborne said. “The rigor of the program matches the rigor of every employment opportunity,”
The rigorous program has started attracting attention outside of the college on registered nursing.org which ranks it seventh among pennsylvania schools.
RegisteredNursing.org ranks colleges based on their pass rates on exams after graduation since 2017, compiling their rates over the five years prior.
“It’s not really about being more deserving than other schools,” says Bryce Hall from registerednursing.org. “It simply comes down to the consistency of program graduates and their test pass rates post-program,”
Students leaving the program are required to take The National Council Licensure Examination to determine whether it is safe for them to begin working as an entry level nurse.
“Our students complete a 12-week online review course that offers a combination of mentoring and coaching with online study materials, including practice assessments, and learning activities,” Osborne said.
Each student is assigned a nurse educator with a graduate degree and at least five years of nursing experience to serve as their coach through the program and help them succeed on the exam.
“Assessments in each section of the prep course have assigned benchmark scores that are associated with high probability of being successful on NCLEX on the first attempt,” Osborne said.
NCC earned a score of 96.82, which was higher than such schools as Drexel, Penn State and DeSales.
“There is no shortage of applications to the program,” Osborne said. “They continue to significantly exceed the available seats, so acceptance into the program remains very competitive,” Osborne said.
