All May 2007 Nursing Grads Pass National Exam On First Attempt

Michael Relf, Chair, Department of Nursing

Newly Minted Undergraduate Alumni Continue Perfect Record

Washington, D.C.—Michael Relf, Ph.D., R.N., chair of the Department of Nursing at Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies (NHS), recently announced the successful results of the NCLEX-RN, the national licensure exam for nurses administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

“One hundred percent of the nursing undergraduate alumni who finished their Georgetown degrees in May 2007 passed the national exam on their first attempt,” Relf said.  The perfect pass rate matches the success of the groups of nursing students who finished their degrees in May 2006 and December 2006.

“The department’s rigorous academic and clinical program prepares graduates for success in their professional careers,” said Relf.  “Our 61 newest graduates continue a tradition of excellence at Georgetown.  Their perfect NCLEX-RN results are a milestone, as well as launching point to a distinguished career in the classroom, the clinic, and the community.”

Since 2004, according to Relf, 97.5 percent of the undergraduates have passed NCLEX-RN on the first attempt.  During that same period, he said, the national mean first-time pass rate was approximately 88 percent.

Several faculty members from the NHS Department of Nursing, including Relf, co-authored a peer-reviewed article on the national exam.  The piece, entitled “Ensuring NCLEX-RN Success for First-Time Test-Takers,” appeared in the September-October 2006 issue of The Journal of Professional Nursing.

“Our educational program is grounded in the strong liberal arts tradition of Georgetown University,” said Colleen Norton, Ph.D., R.N., associate professor of nursing and one of the authors on the journal article.  “The successful trajectory on the NCLEX-RN involves curriculum evaluation and development, extensive faculty participation, review programs related to the national exam, and innovative coursework.”

About the School of Nursing & Health Studies
Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies (NHS) translates science into outcomes that benefit the public’s health. NHS lives its mission “to improve the health and well being of all people” through innovative educational and research programs. The school houses a multimillion-dollar research portfolio and includes the Departments of Health Systems Administration, Human Science, International Health, and Nursing, as well as the Center on Health and Education and—in partnership with Georgetown University Law Center—the Linda and Timothy O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law.