RegisteredNursing.org, a nursing advocacy organization, promotes excellence in nursing by enabling future and current nurses with the education and employment resources they need to succeed. The organization just released its annual list of Best RN Programs, ranking AU’s nursing program the best in Alabama for 2021.
According to them, selecting the best nursing school in Alabama can be difficult. They recommend that to make the process easier, prospective students first look for nursing programs which represent how well a program supports students towards licensure and beyond. One great way to measure this is through NCLEX-RN pass rates. According to the organization, NCLEX-RN pass rates are one of the best ways to determine a nursing program's student preparedness, and why they chose to rank nursing schools using this method.
The NCLEX-RN exam is used by all state boards of nursing across the United States to help assess a student's competency and is required for licensure. Many state boards of nursing use the total overall NCLEX-RN pass rates for a school as one of the main ways to approve a school's ability to provide a nursing education in the state.
The organization analyzed past and present first time NCLEX-RN pass-rates - weighted by year. They ranked the top 10 nursing schools (out of the 39 RN programs) in Alabama by analyzing current and historical NCLEX-RN pass rates, the percentage of graduates who pass the exam. Programs reviewed include schools that offer an Associate in Nursing (ADN/ASN), BSN, or Direct-Entry MSN Degree. Auburn University topped the state list with a score of 97.14, followed closely by the University of Alabama with a score of 97.07. (The results for Alabama can be seen here: https://www.registerednursing.org/state/alabama/#rankings)
“Our success in getting students to pass the NCLEX is a testament to the work of our faculty and the commitment of our students,” said Dean Gregg Newschwander. “Our ability to sustain a high level of success over time is gratifying.”
