BBCC nursing graduates pass licensure exam

MOSES LAKE — Big Bend Community College 2020 nursing program graduates were just given another cause for celebration. Since receiving their degrees in June, all 22 graduates have taken the NCLEX-RN licensure exam and passed on their first attempt.

The 100-percent pass rate has become the norm for the BBCC nursing program over the last 13 years. During that time, all nursing graduates have passed the national licensure exam on either the first or second attempt.

“We are proud of our nursing program’s enviable legacy of excellence in teaching and learning,” said Big Bend President Terry Leas. “Our graduates continue to exemplify the highest professional standards that nursing professionals must possess and employers demand.”

According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the national average of students who passed the exam in 2019 on their first attempt is 85 percent. Across the country, registered nurse employment is projected to grow 15 percent from 2016 to 2026, which is more than double the average growth rate for all other occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

“After completing their degree, the NCLEX is the final hurdle to their license as Registered Nurses,” said BBCC Director of Health Education Programs Katherine Christian. “Along with the faculty, I am very proud of what these graduates have accomplished, and look forward to working alongside them as they serve in our communities.”

Christian commended this year’s graduates for their strong finish, and for overcoming some of the challenges they faced during their last quarter.

“NCLEX is difficult, and this class was confronted with so many unexpected challenges from COVID – on-line learning, delayed clinical experiences, home-schooling their own children while studying themselves,” said Christian. “We are so proud of their success!”

The Associate Degree in Nursing Program is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission and the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.

For more information about the Big Bend nursing program, click HERE!