The HBCU Community: NC A&T Nursing Program Under Suspension
Greensboro— The UNC Board of Governors placed the North Carolina Agriculture and Technology University nursing program under suspension following their annual review. After recently being taken off warning status and reinstated to full approval in 2013, the university failed to meet the Board of Governor’s pass rate standard of 85 percent on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX) scores of graduates.
Over 100 Freshman and sophomores were released from the program and asked to change their majors or transfer over the winter break, while the 84 third and fourth year students already enrolled in the nursing program will be allowed to continue their studies in order to monitor their scores.Guilford Tech, Forsyth Tech, and UNCG have competitive undergraduate nursing programs to offer former Aggie students; however many say that the late notice of Dec. 22, 2014, hardly gave them enough time to meet transfer application deadlines.
A second full review of the program has been issued, but the department will not be allowed to admit new students. The UNC Board of Governors requires a three year average of an 85 percent pass rate for first time test takers. NC A&T has consistently fallen below these standards causing them to be placed on warning status in 2011; however since implementing an improvement plan that included a new curriculum and the appointment of Dean Tuck, pass rates for first time writers have increased by 20 percent according to the report released by the Board in October.
Dean Tuck who spearheaded the changes in the department stated in a press release earlier this month that she expects to see significant progress in the coming years.
“We are continuing to implement the comprehensive changes we have put in place to prepare the graduates of our traditional undergraduate nursing program to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). We anticipate seeing the impact of these changes in the near future as graduates of the four year program begin taking the exam after spending their entire four years with a stronger curriculum, new academic support programs and higher admission standards."
This story was featured in print via Yes! Weekly Feb 2015