All of the August 2004 graduates of Pennsylvania College of Technology's Practical Nursing certificate major who took their licensing exam before Dec. 31 have passed the test, according to the State Board of Nursing.
In addition, the College's passing rate for all of the year's Nursing graduates who took their licensing exams in 2004 exceeded the passing rate for the entire state.
Of the Practical Nursing major's 39 August 2004 graduates, 23 attempted the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical/Vocational Nurses before Dec. 31. All 23 passed the exam.
Of all graduates of the Practical Nursing major at Penn College who attempted the NCLEX-PN during 2004, 91.18 percent passed. The passing rate for all those who took the test in Pennsylvania in 2004 was 89.29 percent.
Of the 53 graduates last year of Penn College's Nursing (RN Preparation) major who took the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses in 2004, 50 (93.34 percent) passed the test. The state passing rate for the year was 85.08 percent.
"I'm very proud of our graduates and proud of the faculty and their ability to teach essential job skills and information to our students," said Pamela L. Starcher, director of nursing at Penn College.
She said Penn College's graduates have consistently outperformed state and national rates on the exams in recent years.
The NCLEX is developed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and is designed to test knowledge, skills and abilities essential to the safe and effective practice of nursing at the entry level. All those who enter the practice of nursing must pass an exam before being licensed.
Results for graduates who took the tests in the first quarter of 2005 have not yet been reported to the College.
For more information about the academic programs offered by the School of Health Sciences at Penn College, call (570) 327-4519, send e-mail or visit online .