Another class of nursing graduates from East Central University has posted a nearly perfect pass rate on their first attempt at taking the national licensing exam to become registered nurses.
Dr. Anne Davis, chair of ECU's Department of Nursing, said 98 percent of ECU's May 2009 nursing graduates passed the National Council Licensure Examination-RN (NCLEX-RN) on their first try. The 52 graduates were from the Ada and Durant campuses.
This summer the first cohort of graduates from ECU Department of Nursing's newest site in Ardmore will take the NCLEX-RN. Each student schedules a date and time to take the computerized exam at a certified testing center.
Nursing students at Durant and Ardmore are enrolled at ECU but take all their classes and complete their clinical experiences in the Ardmore, Durant and north Texas areas. Classes are taught using distance education interactive television and internet technologies. Most originate from the Ada campus.
"Our program is unique in that we have strong partnerships with facilities in both Oklahoma and Texas, as well as with both the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations," Davis said. "We simply could not provide our students with adequate clinical experiences without our clinical partners."
The ECU nursing students have clinical experiences in all areas of nursing, including care of people with critical conditions and people who require rehabilitation, as well as care of elders and neonates, she said.
"Teaching the next generation of professional nurses is quite a responsibility and our department's faculty brings a wide range of clinical experiences to the classroom and clinical setting," Davis said. "Teaching-learning is clearly a team effort -- the ECU and Southeastern Oklahoma State University administrations, the ECU Department of Nursing's faculty, both full-time and adjuncts, the students and nurses in the many clinical agencies can share in the class of 2009's achievement."
While the ECU graduates achieved close to 100 percent on their first attempt, the national average pass rate was 88.4 percent while the average for all Oklahoma schools offering an RN degree was 86.7 percent, Davis said.
"As the profession of nursing is ever-changing, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing is constantly evaluating that NCLEX-RN content reflects current nursing standards. Our 2010 graduates will have a new test plan which became effective this April."
The registered nurses from the class of 2009 are listed by their hometowns:
ADA -- Brittani Bishop, Dana Bult, Ashley Curtis, Tyrra Grant.
APACHE -- Sawyer Pierce.
ARDMORE -- Riley Mann, Jacinda Ricks.
ATOKA -- Carla Cochran, Rebecca McGuire, Michelle Moore.
COALGATE -- Susan Brecheen.
COLEMAN -- Jennifer Gurley, ReAnn Zancanella.
DURANT -- Brandy Anderson, Kimberly Ansiel, Christabelle Daradal, Wendi Harrington, Alison Hicks, Lois Peevyhouse, Wendy Pierce, Cindy Smith, Christopher Webber.
EDMOND -- Katie Barr, Julia Ngarui.
HARRAH -- Melissa Barnes, Melissa Kennedy.
KONAWA -- Kaci Kretchmar.
LINDSAY -- Melanie Ross.
MADILL -- Amanda Hoffpauir.
MEAD -- Kelly Davison, Nikki Miller.
MEEKER -- Alicia Flick.
MUSTANG -- Lindsay Workman.
PAULS VALLEY -- Randi Fritsche.
PURCELL -- Rayce Hammond.
ROFF -- Tara Matthews.
SASAKWA -- Jennifer Jesse.
STONEWALL -- Debra Carrell, Rachel Hall.
STRATFORD -- Karen Drannon, Brandi Eatherly, Amanda Martin.
TISHOMINGO -- LaDonna Culp, Tosha Whitmire.
WARDVILLE -- Rachel Mason.
WAYNE -- Taron Webster.
WYNNEWOOD -- Melissa Meiser.
DALLAS, TEXAS -- Beatrice Mogoa.
DENISON, TEXAS -- Brian Schapansky.
FRISCO, TEXAS--Lema Dohmanju
MYRA, TEXAS -- Charlie Sue Switzer.
PATTONVILLE, TEXAS -- Jessica Graham.
SAVANNAH, TEXAS -- Lyndsey Purl.
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