Nursing program Sees 4% Jump in NCLEX Passing Rate

PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. - Twenty-two out of 24 spring 2011 Central Arizona College nursing graduates passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) on their first attempt.

The 91.6 percent pass rate represents a roughly four percent increase from the college's 87.4 percent pass rate in 2010.

Although the Arizona State Board of Nursing only announces passing rates for students who have taken the exam for the first time, CAC's students passed at a 95.8 percent clip after the second attempt.

"These are fantastic numbers," Cherrie Evans, director of the college's highly selective nursing program, explained. "We have exceeded Arizona's goal of reaching 90 percent."

The graduates received associate of applied science degrees in nursing upon completion of the college's four-semester program; however, a passing score on the NCLEX is necessary for a student to become a licensed registered nurse according to Evans.

"The passing rates reflect that the rigor of our program is adequate to produce new nurses who are capable of providing safe and efficient nursing care, that the students have adequately prepared themselves, and that the faculty has been successful in instilling knowledge to ensure that the next generation of nurses is successful."

CAC's nursing program is both approved by the Arizona State Board of Nursing and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. The NLNAC is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accreditation agency.

"I believe the dedication of our faculty and the high standards set for admission into our program stand out from institutions I have seen in the past," Evans said. "This has translated into the passing rates we see today."