Every University of Tennessee at Chattanooga nursing graduate who took the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) when it was most recently offered passed it. That success also brought a 100% pass rate for UTC-graduate nurses in each of the last three testing periods.
That means every member of the last three UTC nursing graduate cohorts who took the exam passed it, fulfilling the requirement for licensure as a registered nurse. The Tennessee State Board of Nursing requires all schools and colleges of nursing to maintain a pass rate greater than 85%, and UTC has exceeded that minimum since the statistics were first tracked in 2007.
“The NCLEX exam is a very challenging standardized test that every state regulatory board uses to determine if graduates are ready to become licensed and then work as practice-ready entry level nurses. This means nurses who have passed the exam have demonstrated knowledge that qualifies them to give direct patient care, take on leadership roles, provide education for patients and their families and, most importantly, serve as an advocate. As BSN-prepared graduates, our students provide holistic care for patients, their families and the communities in which they live,” said UTC School of Nursing Director Chris Smith.
“Both our faculty and our students are committed to achieving excellence in preparation for careers in the field of nursing, and a third consecutive 100% pass rate on the NCLEX is compelling and objective proof of that commitment. All are to be commended for their dedication.”
The nationally standardized exam is offered multiple times a year, and the most recent of the three consecutive achievements of a 100% pass rate by UTC nursing graduates came in December 2019. Since 2007, 25 cohorts of UTC nursing graduates have taken the NCLEX and 12 of those groups have achieved a 100% first-time pass rate. The overall first-time pass rate for all UTC 25 cohorts is 97%.
