Every December graduate from NIU’s School of Nursing passed the state board exams, according to an NIU press release.

Students must pass the four-hour test to officially become registered nurses and practice anywhere in the country. In Illinois, the pass rate is 86 percent for all nursing programs and for all U.S. programs.

Scores in the 100th percentile on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensure Examination (NCLEX) mean NIU performed better than or as well as Illinois’ 34 nursing programs with graduates in the fall semester of 2005 and the nation’s 750 programs with fall semester graduates.

“It’s an indication that our program is very strong,” said Brigid Lusk, chair of the school. “We are educating our students in exactly what they need to become safe, experienced practitioners. We’re quite rigorous, and our students appreciate that they need to work very hard to succeed in this program.”

More than 1,000 students apply each year for only 140 seats, Lusk said. “It’s a joy to accept the crème de la crème.”

NIU does offer its students preparation programs for NCLEX, including tests to determine their probability of passing the boards and help with studying.

The school also has recently formed several partnerships with area hospitals and community colleges to offer an RN-to-BS completion program. Designed with respect for knowledge already attained and understanding of the real world of working RNs, the program prepares professional nurses for leadership roles in patient care across the spectrum of health care agencies and settings.