Mennonite Exceeds National, State Pass Rates on Nursing Exam

Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University ranks above the state and nationwide averages for the number of graduates who passed the national nursing licensure examination on the first try in 2007.

Ninety-four percent of Mennonite graduates passed the National Council Licensure Examination for registered nurses (NCLEX-RN) on the first try last year.  The nationwide NCLEX-RN pass rate for nursing program graduates was 85 percent, while the State of Illinois pass rate was 86 percent.

The high percentage of Mennonite graduates who pass the licensure exam the first time is due in a large part to the College’s Success Plan, a rigorous exam preparation program incorporated into the entire nursing curriculum.  The Success Plan, implemented in 2001, includes mastery exams in various clinical nursing specialties that students must pass in addition to their regular class exams.  The mastery exams cover the specific subject matter included on the NCLEX-RN exam. 

“These outstanding pass rates reflect the strong commitment Mennonite faculty have in providing high quality teaching and learning experiences for students,” said Sara Campbell, interim dean of Mennonite College of Nursing. “The College Success Plan, which is coordinated by Cathi Kaesberg, instructional assistant professor, continues to work very well for our students.”

The difficulty of the NCLEX-RN exam was increased in April of 2007 in response to changes in U.S. health care delivery and nursing practice. The increased standards are part of a three-year evaluation cycle for the NCLEX-RN exam to ensure it addresses current nursing standards.