Campus Life

UWF nursing students beat national average

The University of West Florida Nursing Department's average pass rate this year for the National Council Licensure Examination was 96.7 -- up from 93.5 last year. The state average is 88.87 and the national average is 88.91.

The University of West Florida Nursing Department’s average pass rate this year for the National Council Licensure Examination was 96.7 — up from 93.5 last year. The state average is 88.87 and the national average is 88.91.

The test is the licensure examination to become a registered nurse, and it is taken after graduation. Each state board of nursing requires passage of the test, which evaluates essential skills for safe and effective entry-level nursing.

“Our NCLEX pass rate reflects our graduates’ high level of nursing knowledge,” said Diane Gardner, Department of Nursing chair. “Perhaps the most important factor is that our nursing students are dedicated to rendering a high level of patient care based on research/evidence-based practice.”

In the program, students receive both acute inpatient care and outpatient on-the-job experiences. Sites include Escambia County Health Department, Navy Hospital, Children’s Medical Services, Baptist Hospital, Nemours Children’s Clinic, Sacred Heart Hospital and West Florida Hospital. Clinical practicums are performed on medical surgical units at Baptist, Sacred Heart and West Florida. For the management component, the program uses Navy Hospital.

Each year, 40 students are selected according to: overall grade point average; grade point average of prerequisite courses; completion of all general education and prerequisite courses; completion of recommended electives, Pathophysiology and Intro to Organic Chemistry; 60 hours of work or volunteer in health-care setting; and applicant reads and follows the directions on the application. For the 2009 program, the department received 130 applications for the 40 slots available.

UWF juniors majoring in nursing Vanessa White, Hillary Shouppe, Sara Jacoway were doing class work this week at the Education Research Center for Child Development. Though all three have another year ahead of them, they are already thinking about plans after graduation.

Jacoway, who switched to nursing at her mother’s suggestion, intends to join the Navy. Shouppe is thinking about a career as an adult critical care nurse, while White wants to work in a hospital, but hasn’t decided in which area.

“I have always wanted to do something in the medical field,” said White, who envisions herself someday working in a hospital, but doesn’t know yet in which department.

Nursing is just one career possibility in the growing health-care field, and field experts say it will continue to be in demand for decades. The average salary of a newly graduated registered nurse is between $17 and $21 an hour which varies depending on region, shift and other variables.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job growth for registered nurses is expected to increase by 23 percent in the next seven years.

Applications will be taken Dec. 1 through March 1, 2010 for the August 2010 program.

For more information, contact the UWF Nursing Department at (850) 473-7756 or visit uwf.edu/nursing.

Written by Susie Forrester, University Marketing Communications