"I'm definitely very pleased," Dr. Franklin said of the pass rate. "It reflects on the hard work of the students and faculty." She said the ultimate goal of the nursing program is to prepare students to provide quality care for patients. Passing the NCLEX-RN is the first step in meeting that goal.
"The test is really when they are out there on those units taking care of patients," Dr. Franklin said. She noted that recent health care patient acuity studies, which measure patient requirements for nursing care, show that many patients have multiple medical problems and are being discharged from hospitals earlier than before. That data means that nurses must be adequately prepared to meet patient needs, she said. "We have tried to prepare our students to be on top of everything," Dr. Franklin said. "I'm very proud of the graduates and thankful for the faculty for working so hard."
"Their education doesn't stop here," Dr. Franklin noted, adding that all licensed nurses must continue their education to maintain their licenses.
UVI's nursing programs are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.