Prescribing a continued standard of excellence, more than 100 Ramapo College Bachelor of Science in Nursing students passed the exam on the first attempt in 2023

In another historic win for the Ramapo College Adler Center of Nursing Excellence, a remarkable 106 students in the Class of 2023 sat for and passed the National Council of Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) on the first attempt, making for a 100% pass rate in the graduated class. 

Ramapo College consistently boasts above national average passing rates. What makes this year’s accomplishment even more impressive is that 2023 was the first year the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), the updated NCLEX, was administered. All nursing students must pass the exam in order to become licensed registered nurses in the U.S.

One significant change between the old and new exam is how clinical judgment is measured. Rather than an emphasis on information recall applied to clinical situations, the NGN assesses the ability to analyze patient data and make sound clinical decisions. This is done, in part, through an increase in case study questions that reflect real-world situations and ask students to identify the best course of action.

And this is one area in which Ramapo’s nursing curriculum excels at preparing students for practice. “The nursing faculty and staff carefully prepare their teaching methodologies to focus on clinical decision making. They integrate case studies and simulation in all classes, enabling students to critically assess situations and make sound clinical judgments,” said Dr. Kathleen Burke, professor of nursing and assistant dean of nursing programs. “I applaud the students on their accomplishment, and thank the faculty and staff for their tireless support and work.”

Students are eligible to sit for the exam around 45 days after graduating. If they do not pass, they have to wait a minimum of another 45 days to retake the exam. This adds a considerable amount of time to become licensed and able to begin practicing. With an impressive first-time pass rate for so many students, New Jersey hospitals and healthcare centers were able to fill vacant positions quicker.

Ramapo College of New Jersey continues to see record numbers of applications for its undergraduate nursing program. In the last three years, applications to the BSN program increased 36%, with more than 1,280 submitted to-date for the upcoming academic year. This increase in demand, coupled with the January launch of the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN), led to the current expansion of nursing facilities on campus and increase in nursing faculty, thanks to a $1M appropriation from a legislative resolution co-sponsored by Senator Joe Lagana (D38-Paramus) and Assemblywoman Lisa Swain (D38-Fair Lawn) to help mitigate the nursing shortage in New Jersey.

To learn more about all of the nursing programs offered at Ramapo College, visit ramapo.edu/nursing.