702 - Bridging the Gap: An NCLEX Success Map

This presentation identifies strategies to improve NCLEX pass rates in associate degree nursing programs that serve a diverse student population who may struggle with study skills and standardized tests. Faculty at the University of West Alabama created evidence-based strategies to help students progress through the nursing program, prepare for the NCLEX-RN, and succeed on the first-attempt. Strategies include 1) faculty-student mentoring, 2) retention referral, 3) adoption of online teaching and evaluation methodologies, 4) elimination of required textbooks and flipping the classroom, 5) provision of financial assistance, and 6) faculty development through higher education.

The University of West Alabama (UWA) serves regional applicants from educationally and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Before 2021, the Division of Nursing experienced difficulty with consistency in NCLEX-RN pass rates. From 2017 – 2020, the pass rates were 81.6, 77.2, 84.3, and 82.4 percent respectively. While some changes were in place to improve these results, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need to implement strategies to assist student nurses to pass the national licensure exam. Additionally, many UWA nursing students were struggling with financial hardships. For some, lack of funding led to attrition from the nursing program. For others, lack of funding led to absenteeism from class and clinical sessions due to transportation issues or failure to purchase needed supplies. These factors impacted students’ ability to learn how to think like nurses and form the capacity to make safe clinical judgments. The faculty were tasked with creating an innovative NCLEX success map.

The University of West Alabama (UWA DON) implemented and refined strategies in 2020 to prepare nursing students for graduation and the NCLEX-RN exam. New strategies included 1) adoption of online teaching and evaluation methodologies, 2) elimination of required textbooks and flipping the classroom, and 3) provision of financial assistance. These strategies were implemented due to the displacement of faculty and students from the classroom and clinical sites. Faculty needed to teach didactic content. Due to social distancing and time constraints, a flipped classroom utilizing technology, homework, and textbook-free was initiated. A Health Resources and Services Administration grant in the amount of 2.4 million dollars was obtained to award scholarships to nursing students over five years (2020-2024). The refined strategies were 1) faculty-student mentoring, 2) retention referral, and 3) faculty development through higher education. The UWA DON were more intentional in the execution of these strategies.