BSN Grads Post 97% NCLEX Pass Rate

More than 97% of the May graduates from Rockhurst University’s Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences Bachelor of Science in Nursing program who took the NCLEX — the National Council Licensure Examination — passed, according to new data from the Missouri State Board of Nursing.

The NCLEX is a required test for anyone entering the professional field of nursing as a Registered Nurse. The Missouri State Board of Nursing reports pass rates for each quarter. The average pass rate statewide from 2017-2021 is 89%, and the national average, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, was 79% in 2022.

For the leaders at Rockhurst University’s Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences, the pass rate reflects the qualities that make the school’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program special.

“Our NCLEX pass rate reflects our faculty, student, and clinical partner commitment to success,” said Kristina Henry, DNP, associate dean and chief nursing administrator at Rockhurst University. “We take a lot of pride in providing our nursing students with state-of-the-art facilities, top-quality clinical experiences, and attentive faculty who want every single student to succeed in the field of nursing.”

Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences officially became part of Rockhurst University in 2020, representing two renowned institutions joining in the goal of educating more compassionate, confident nurses to fill the growing need for qualified health care professionals in the region and across the nation. In 2022, Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences moved into Sedgwick Hall, the first building on the Rockhurst University campus, which underwent a $23 million renovation into a new home for health sciences on campus, including the state-of-the-art Seelos Simulation Center.

“Being the largest nursing education program in the area as well as the oldest, we take a lot of pride in being able to move students successfully from their education to their profession,” Henry said. “This result shows our students are extremely capable of handling the demands of the field of nursing from the moment they graduate.”