The University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s nursing program prepared Spring 2024 graduates for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), leading them to a 100% pass rate for the first-time takers. Though the NCLEX-RN is challenging, the real test is making it through UL Lafayette’s rigorous nursing program.
When asked about the NCLEX-RN pass rate for the program, Dr. Lisa Broussard, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, said it was because the students were simply ready for the test.
“We are one of the few schools in the state to have a 100 percent NCLEX-RN pass rate. It’s not that it is easy, but they are ready, ” Dr. Broussard said. She added that she believed the real test for nursing students was graduating nursing school.
“The NCLEX-RN is challenging, but what I think is really challenging is our program. I know that the rigor of our program, the structure of our program and the very high quality of clinical faculty, as well as clinical sites, prepares our students very very well for the nclex.”
The Myers School of Nursing undergraduate program is one of the best in the state of Louisiana. In the spring of 2024, their simulation program was re-accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. One of two simulation programs in the state that’s accredited. In September they were designated, again, as a center of excellence by the National League for Nursing.
For admission into the undergraduate program, students must meet the requirements for all undergraduate students, but once inside, they must maintain a list of requirements. They have to have a minimum grade of “C” in all nursing classes and a grade of “Satisfactory” in all nursing laboratory classes.
Though those requirements don’t seem too strenuous on paper, to apply for Nursing 208 clinical, students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.800. Even with the minimum GPA, students are not guaranteed a spot because they only take the highest 110 applicants based on GPA.
Mckenna Thomas, a junior majoring in nursing, expressed that the cutthroat nature of nursing school was her least favorite part.
After failing a course prior to applying for Nursing 208, she concluded that it was frustrating how one bad grade did not show the hard work she had put in.
“Sometimes as students, I feel like we are forgotten for our purpose in being here. The number matters more than what we’re giving, what we’re doing at the hospital, and how we do things. They really just see your grade point average and your score and sometimes that’s the only thing that helps you move forward. The competitiveness.”
Dr. Broussard explained the challenge of nursing school can be more than some students can handle. The decision to switch majors can be hard for students, but the college does their best to help them find another path.
“Nursing school is hard, but nursing as a profession is hard, so you have to really have that passion. No judging. […] Sometimes the rigor is more than they are capable of, but sometimes they just don’t want it that much, and that is fine because nursing is not for everyone.”
One of the best parts about the challenging nature of nursing school, for Dr. Broussard herself, was the friendships she was able to form through their shared struggle.
“You make friends for life. You just go through everything together. […] It creates a bond a lot of majors don’t have; I still have friends from nursing school, and I see that still happening,” Dr. Broussard said.
When asked about her favorite part of nursing school, Hannah Parker, a junior majoring in nursing, echoed Dr. Broussard’s sentiments about the close friendships she has made during her time as a nursing student.
“I would say probably the people you meet. The friends you make along the way because you’re all in it together, and it gets pretty brutal sometimes.”
Alexa Theriot, a junior majoring in nursing, agreed her favorite thing about nursing school was the friends she made along the way but also revealed her least favorite thing to be the friends she has lost.
“I’ve made some really great friends, as the semesters have gone people have dropped, had to leave for different reasons, failed or whatnot. Then, I find myself not being able to talk to them as much and being out of their lives because we are not with each other anymore.”
When asked about any advice she would give to incoming nursing students, Thomas disclosed the secret to surviving is remembering why they are in nursing school to begin with.
“Really make sure you’re here for the right reasons because once you get to nursing school, you really start to question why you’re doing this. It can get really challenging, so you really have to make sure when you enter nursing school you’re here for a purpose and that purpose is to help others.”
The NCLEX-RN is the standard licensure exam for nursing graduates to be a registered nurse. Graduates have to get their Bachelors of Science in nursing to qualify for the NCLEX-RN.