Nursing pass rates for Ohio University Chillicothe continue to rise

 Pass rates for the recent graduates of the Nursing Programs at Ohio University Chillicothe have accelerated over the last several years.

Specifically, the pass rate for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program was 90.9% and the Associate of Science in Nursing (ADN) Program achieved an 94.1%. To keep full status with the Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN), pass rates must reach 95% of the national average and the benchmarks to beat for 2019 were 91.78% and 86.46%, respectively.

All pass rates are calculated by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) for all first-time NCLEX-RN test candidates who completed a registered nurse (RN) education program in Ohio.

In order to ensure that students are meeting the required pass rates, the University is mindful that the rigor of the program needs to be held to a high standard. In turn, the nursing staff at OHIO Chillicothe has gone above and beyond to provide additional support to students in need. 

One way in which students are finding additional support is through the revamping of the Supplemental Instruction (SI) program for nursing students. SI is similar to tutoring sessions; however, in this case, the instructor provides the teaching. While SI is voluntary, many students participate knowing that SI is more structured to their class material, in turn, meeting their needs at that specific time in the semester.

In addition to SI, the Nursing Department has also added a remediation program for their students. The remediation program is a collaboration of faculty and staff, who assist students with specific academic needs in order to help them be successful in the program. Students who fall below a certain percentage are required to participate in the program.

Another measure of support for nursing students is the requirement of students taking UC 1000. UC 1000, Mastering the University Experience, is a course in which students are taught the necessary skills needed to be a successful college student; however, for enrolled nursing students the course is tailored to the nursing program. The instructor of the course is Jeremiah Triplett, who also happens to be the advisor for the nursing programs.

Similar to Triplett’s other UC 1000 courses, there is still a job shadowing/volunteering final project; however, Triplett explained that there is more emphasis on job shadowing to ensure that nursing is the right fit for students. In addition, his class examples/activities and guest speakers are all nursing related.

Lastly, through a recent grant issued to Ohio University by the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission, the Nursing Department is in the process of adding videotaping equipment to the labs that are using the high-fidelity simulations. According to best practice by nurse researchers, allowing students to review their interactions with the simulations helps them better practice nursing skills in real-life situations.

Danielle Schabel, Interim Associate Director for the Nursing Program, commented, “I have a positive outlook on the future of the nursing programs at Ohio University Chillicothe. We anticipate 43 graduates between the ADN and BSN programs this spring.

“We’ve also had over 100 applicants for the ADN program this year and over 50 started in the program this spring semester. This is the largest applicant pool we’ve had for years.” remarked Schabel.

To accommodate the growth of the program, a third lab space was also added in the basement level of Bennett Hall for Foundations and Health Assessment classes. In turn, the campus is able to admit more students into the nursing programs each year. To help with the lab space, the Zanesville campus generously donated hospital beds for the area. 

Students interested in learning more about the nursing programs at OHIO Chillicothe are encouraged to contact the Nursing Office at 740.774.7282.

*BSN students learning about administering injections using the new lab space

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