Yes, the pass rate has dropped to just above 75%. It has to be brought up next year or we will be in trouble with the board of nursing. 

The students in last year's class were brought into nursing in 2002, and were taught among the administrative, organizational chaos and loss of resources.  Are  we having fun yet?

But the good news is that we are marshalling more resources and Our present Dean, Fos and Asst. Dean and Director Nugent are working very hard with Nursing Faculty to right things. I hope we have the stability this year in Nursing to pull our students back up.

quote:

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Originally posted by: another drop in the bucket
" Look on the bright side. If we lose accredidation, we don't have to even worry about our NCLEX pass rates because you have to have a degree from an accredited school to sit the exam, right?"

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quote:

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Originally posted by: Out-sorcerer

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Amy, nursing in Mississippi is regulated by IHL. (This is a good news, bad news post). Only in New York state and Mississippi is this the structure.  Boards of Nursing regulate nursing education in all other states.  Deans and Directors Council at IHL along with a staff member (Dr. Mary Ware, formerly at William Carey SON) monitor schools of nursing for compliance with STATE accreditation and NCLEX scores. Schools only have to be accredited with the State for their graduates to sit for NCLEX.  National accreditation (NLN or CCNE) is voluntary but we are very proud that all of our schools of nursing (adn and bsn) are nationally accredited.  If a SON falls belox 74 per cent on NCLEX (RN test), they are put on probationary status (State).  USM has been declining since 2002, for 2004 our rate was 74.8% pass for first time examinees.  We have one more year to pull it up.  EVeryone should be VERY concerned, but the faculty and adminstration have failed to get anyone's attention, including Mary Ware's or previous Commisioner or IHL Board members (shocking isn't it?). NCLEX scores are just one of the many indicators of our serious problems in this very fine College of Nursing past. But it is an indicator that the public perhaps identify with. I don't know.  We have a fine faculty and good administrators, always have.  And we have excellent students, the pick of the crop.  WE have twice as many students who qualify who apply, our pool of applicants is most likely the best on campus, that has NOT changed.  Our faculty work more, have higher loads and are the most dedicated, competent,caring people you will find anywhere.  But there are limits to what students and faculty can endure and I fear we are there.

We are exhausted but very concerned for our community.  Like Joni Mitchell says, "you don't know what you got, till its gone."  WIth nurses, our community will suffer so much as our school declines.  WE have the largest school in the State (go to the URL below and you will see the numbers of students and graduates) and have graduated more students than any other SON historically. When we falter, everyone in the State, but especially our community will feel it directly....eventually.  And this isn't being dramatic or crying wolf.  Do the math and read other communities' stories of similar fates.   A sad tale and one that we know all too well.

We have had three directors/deans/cnas (who knows what the next title will be) in three years, senior faculty have left in droves.  We have eight tenured professors left for all campuses.  GO to the IHL web site for nursing, excellent analsyses for student/faculty ratios (we are the highest), NCLEX scores for last several years up to 2003 for all schools in Miss, and other very good data sources.  WE wonder why no one seems to care either.  But no one cares (relatively speaking) that all USM aculty are being beaten up on a daily basis at USM, why would we be any different?  I know that there are good people out there who are silent; for the life of me I do not know what will cause them to stand up and let their voices be heard.

Thanks for caring.  At least someone is listening.

GO to IHL web site:

http://www.nursingms.org/annual_reports.htm

and you will see link to NCLEX scores and the other measures of quality also.

Maybe all programs, including nursing will finally get someone's attention THIS week.  I haven't given up yet.  SIster Harkins would have NEVER given up!  After all, COLLEGE of nursing is still on the east side of our building.  Perhaps Kevin Walters will pick up on this and run a story. 

quote:

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Originally posted by: Out-sorcerer
"How can next year's scores be brought up? Maybe we can outsource to Sylvan Learning Centers. I think they try to help students with raising their GRE, SAT, and other standardized test scores. "

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quote:

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Originally posted by: Ordered to Care
"Amy, nursing in Mississippi is regulated by IHL. (This is a good news, bad news post). Only in New York state and Mississippi is this the structure.  Boards of Nursing regulate nursing education in all other states.  Deans and Directors Council at IHL along with a staff member (Dr. Mary Ware, formerly at William Carey SON) monitor schools of nursing for compliance with STATE accreditation and NCLEX scores. Schools only have to be accredited with the State for their graduates to sit for NCLEX.  National accreditation (NLN or CCNE) is voluntary but we are very proud that all of our schools of nursing (adn and bsn) are nationally accredited.  If a SON falls belox 74 per cent on NCLEX (RN test), they are put on probationary status (State).  USM has been declining since 2002, for 2004 our rate was 74.8% pass for first time examinees.  We have one more year to pull it up.  EVeryone should be VERY concerned, but the faculty and adminstration have failed to get anyone's attention, including Mary Ware's or previous Commisioner or IHL Board members (shocking isn't it?). NCLEX scores are just one of the many indicators of our serious problems in this very fine College of Nursing past. But it is an indicator that the public perhaps identify with. I don't know.  We have a fine faculty and good administrators, always have.  And we have excellent students, the pick of the crop.  WE have twice as many students who qualify who apply, our pool of applicants is most likely the best on campus, that has NOT changed.  Our faculty work more, have higher loads and are the most dedicated, competent,caring people you will find anywhere.  But there are limits to what students and faculty can endure and I fear we are there. We are exhausted but very concerned for our community.  Like Joni Mitchell says, "you don't know what you got, till its gone."  WIth nurses, our community will suffer so much as our school declines.  WE have the largest school in the State (go to the URL below and you will see the numbers of students and graduates) and have graduated more students than any other SON historically. When we falter, everyone in the State, but especially our community will feel it directly....eventually.  And this isn't being dramatic or crying wolf.  Do the math and read other communities' stories of similar fates.   A sad tale and one that we know all too well. We have had three directors/deans/cnas (who knows what the next title will be) in three years, senior faculty have left in droves.  We have eight tenured professors left for all campuses.  GO to the IHL web site for nursing, excellent analsyses for student/faculty ratios (we are the highest), NCLEX scores for last several years up to 2003 for all schools in Miss, and other very good data sources.  WE wonder why no one seems to care either.  But no one cares (relatively speaking) that all USM aculty are being beaten up on a daily basis at USM, why would we be any different?  I know that there are good people out there who are silent; for the life of me I do not know what will cause them to stand up and let their voices be heard. Thanks for caring.  At least someone is listening. GO to IHL web site: http://www.nursingms.org/annual_reports.htm and you will see link to NCLEX scores and the other measures of quality also. Maybe all programs, including nursing will finally get someone's attention THIS week.  I haven't given up yet.  SIster Harkins would have NEVER given up!  After all, COLLEGE of nursing is still on the east side of our building.  Perhaps Kevin Walters will pick up on this and run a story.   "

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This sentence is from an Associated Press article I read today:

"Colleges should better measure and report their students' progress, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said Monday."

Nursing traks its students progress quite well, and the NCLEX examination is quite a good outcome measure. It sort of serves as an exit examination. Some departments here possibly require an exit examination, but not many do. They have to rely primarily on gut level feelings. Nursing, on the other hand, has hard quantitative data. Education Secretary Margaret Sellings is suggesting that the policies in place at lower levels be applied to colleges. If this comes to fruition, Nursing is well ahead of the pack.