PTC Nursing Program Reaches 100 Percent NCLEX Pass Rate

Recent graduates of Piedmont Technical College’s associate degree nursing program have achieved the elusive mark of perfection. The students who completed the program in December have passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) with a 100 percent pass rate.

“As a nursing faculty, we are very excited about these results,” said Tara Harris, interim department head.

To achieve this goal, the program has made changes necessary to keep up with changes in the NCLEX. Curriculum design was adjusted and faculty members were placed in the specialties where they had the most knowledge and experience.

“It’s been a team effort trying to reach this 100 percent pass rate,” Harris said.

We are in awe of our students because they come into the program with other responsibilities on their shoulders beyond just college, but they are motivated to be successful.

To better prepare students for the NCLEX, the ADN program was separated from the practical nursing program, although students from both tracks meet with the specialty instructors to insure that all students and instructors are on the same page. Current nursing practices are reinforced to keep the curriculum up-to-date. Elizabeth Wilson and Karen Larson have also developed a critical thinking workshop that helps students to grasp those critical thinking questions. Other changes to the program have included changes to prerequisites, increased required scores on admissions testing and policies for re-admittance for students who do not succeed in a class on their first attempt.

“The NCLEX changes every few years, so we will continue to enhance with those changes,” said Harris. “The program is constantly a re-evaluation process to make sure we are aware of the new technologies and the new information.”

“We are in awe of our students because they come into the program with other responsibilities on their shoulders beyond just college, but they are motivated to be successful,” said Rosalie Stevenson, interim dean of nursing. “Because of how hard they work, we know they will make excellent nurses.”

For more information on the nursing program, contact Morgan Chalmers, health sciences counselor, at (864) 941-8733.