All 30 graduates from the University of Guam’s nursing program in the Class of 2018 passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) on their first time taking the exam, the UOG School of Nursing & Health Sciences announced. The NCLEX is the standardized test nursing graduates must take to become registered nurses.
University of Guam nursing program graduates from the Class of 2018. Mariana Sizemore; Herdel Kent B. Hermosura; Teresa Harris; Regine R. Dela Montanye; Kamille De Leon; and Crystalline Cristobal (Photo: UOG)
This marks the third consecutive year that the program has achieved a 100 percent first-time pass rate and the fifth time overall, the other years being 2003 and 2010.
“It is an outstanding achievement and a testament to the quality education our UOG Triton nurses receive,” said Margaret Hattori-Uchima, dean of the nursing school.
The program’s pass rate surpasses the national average for U.S.-educated baccalaureate degree program graduates, which is 92.18 percent to date, and the international average, which is 43.98 percent.
“This achievement is the product of dedicated faculty, motivated students, and a supportive community, and we are very proud to say that our nursing graduates are not only excelling here at UOG, but among their national and international counterparts as well,” said UOG President Thomas W. Krise.
Most of UOG’s 2018 nursing graduates are now employed at the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority and Guam Regional Medical City, Hattori-Uchima said, and two, who were military dependents, have gone off island.
Many factors contribute to the program’s successful pass rates, Hattori-Uchima said, including support from the UOG administration and an annual financial contribution from TakeCare Insurance Co.
The program also prepares students by offering online and in-classroom NCLEX reviews, mentored clinical practice opportunities over the summer at GMHA, and faculty mentors for each student who provide ongoing coaching and support.
“The faculty have mentored the students for the NCLEX for the past three years, and students report that this is critical to their success,” Hattori-Uchima said. “The program also continuously assesses the curriculum to ensure students are well-prepared to pass the exam and to be safe and competent nurses.”
The next cohort of nursing graduates, which has 32 students, is anticipated to graduate in May.
For more information on the UOG Bachelor of Nursing program, visit www.uog.edu/snhs.