Nursing Graduates Achieve Perfect Score on National Exams
All 53 of Lee University’s recent School of Nursing graduates received a 100% first-time pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
“We’re so proud of our 2024 graduates,” said Dr. Amy Jo Perry, dean of the School of Nursing. “Their 100% NCLEX pass rate is a testimony to their hard work, commitment, and preparation for their futures in the nursing profession. While earning their licenses as registered nurses is quite an achievement, we’re even more proud of the exceptional care they will provide to patients and their families.”
The 60 May 2023 graduates also received a 100% first-time pass rate, making this the second year in a row the School of Nursing celebrates this achievement.
“Our May 2023 cohort is out there making us proud after passing their NCLEX last year,” said Shannon McBrayer, director of simulation and experiential learning.
Since the first cohort of nursing graduates in 2017, the school is at a 98% overall first-time pass rate for the NCLEX.
Nursing students are required to take the NCLEX test after graduation, which determines if they are qualified to engage in entry-level practice. Students that do not pass on their first try must take it again until they do. The exam evaluates nursing competence, critical thinking, and clinical judgment skills, and a student’s ability to make safe and effective decisions in various patient care situations.
The School of Nursing also celebrates all of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) May 2024 graduates who passed the Board Certification exam on their first attempt. “We are proud to announce a 100% pass rate for our 2024 Family Nurse Practitioner graduates,” said Dr. Julie Campbell, assistant professor of nursing. “This reflects the dedication of our students, the commitment of our faculty, and the high quality of our DNP program. The success underscores our mission to empower the next generation of doctorally-prepared nurse practitioners who are ready to make a meaningful impact in the world as leaders in providing compassionate, expert care to their local communities.”
Not only have all Lee’s 2024 graduates passed the four-year NCLEX and become registered nurses, but they also have all accepted positions at various hospitals in the region. Some graduates will serve as far as Washington State, but many of them will remain in the Cleveland and Chattanooga area and serve at locations such as Bradley Medical Center, Hamilton Medical Center, Erlanger Hospital, CHI Memorial, and Parkridge. Other graduates have been employed at medical centers all around the region, including Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, among others.
Lee’s graduates have accepted nursing assignments in areas such as emergency care, mother-baby, oncology, cardiac, surgery, and other specializations.
“Our students are now the hands and hearts in hospitals, clinics and communities. Wherever you come across a Lee nursing graduate, you can trust that they are where they need to be, and that they are making a difference,” said McBrayer.
Lee University offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts in Disaster and Healthcare Mission Management, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice. Nursing students get the chance to participate in clinical partnerships with local healthcare facilities, internship opportunities, extended experience in the field, and utilize simulation labs and events to test training and skill.
Lee’s BSN nursing program began in 2014 and has since graduated 421 registered nurses. The program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
For more information about Lee University School of Nursing, visit leeuniversity.edu/academics/nursing/.