#1 Private University in Maryland for High Pass Rate for 2018 State Nursing Test

Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) School of Nursing graduates scored one of the highest first time pass rates in Maryland with a 93% on the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) for 2018 as reported by the Maryland Board of Nursing.

NDMU students scored above Maryland’s average pass of 87.45% and is the third highest when comparing public institutions in all of Maryland.

NCLEX-RN is a standardized exam that each state board of nursing uses to determine whether or not a candidate is prepared for entry-level nursing practice. Upon passing the NCLEX-RN, a nursing graduate assumes the official title of Registered Nurse. 

A program’s first-time pass rate is a good indicator of the rigor of the curriculum and whether future employers will be inclined to hire their graduates.

“We are proud of our graduates and our dedicated faculty who are committed to ensuring that NDMU nursing students have the knowledge, skills, and experience to meet their first professional benchmark—being successful on NCLEX-RN.” said Dr. Kathleen Wisser, Dean of the School of Nursing. “This high pass rate is a reflection of our students’ commitment to becoming compassionate and professional nurses committed to excellence in nursing practice that leads to optimal patient care. We challenge students to care, lead, and serve in a supportive learning environment that is grounded in caring science. Our program of study incorporates evidence-based testing strategies from the first nursing course and continued support post-graduation until a student has successfully passed the NCLEX-RN examination.” 

The Entry-Level program is the newest program in the School of Nursing; NDMU graduated its fourth class in 2018. Students enter the university as nursing majors in their freshmen or sophomore year and can progress directly into the nursing program as junior students.

Also, students who complete pre-requisites elsewhere may transfer into the nursing program as junior nursing students. 

The School of Nursing has a long-standing and exceptional reputation throughout Maryland.

NDMU started educating nurses in the RN to BSN program beginning in 1979. NDMU offers an on-ground and online RN to BSN degree program. The program provides an integrated curriculum of liberal arts and nursing courses grounded in caring science designed to meet the specific needs of registered nurses who are associate-degree prepared. NDMU’s Master of Science in Nursing has two concentrations—Leadership in Nursing Education and Leadership in Nursing Administration. The Leadership in Nursing Administration concentration provides a pathway for nurses to lead change across a variety of healthcare settings. The Leadership in Nursing Education concentration prepares caring and compassionate nurse educators to teach in academic and/or clinical practice settings. The RN to BSN and MSN programs are offered at the main campus and at specific sites in Maryland.

On the horizon for the School of Nursing is a program for persons who already have a bachelor’s degree. In May 2019, NDMU will accept its first cohort of students into the Accelerated Second-Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. This program is designed for students who have completed a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field and want to change career direction. The ABSN program will take 15 months to complete, in addition to the pre-entrance courses required for admission into the nursing program. The number of required pre-entrance courses will vary from student to student depending on the coursework completed for the initial baccalaureate degree. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to apply for licensure as a registered nurse. Graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN), which is required to practice as licensed registered nurse. Applications are currently being accepted.