Nov 01, 2019 1:47 pm

Pierce College’s nursing program continues to play an important role in filling Washington’s statewide shortage of registered nurses. The program has been ranked as one of the top nursing programs in the state, ranked No. 1 by RNCareers.org, and No. 2 by RegisteredNursing.org. Over the past four years, our nursing program has seen an average first-time National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) pass rate of 98 percent, allowing students to move into in-demand nursing careers quickly upon graduation.

“What’s truly unique about our program is the dedication of our faculty,” said Nursing Program Director Tiffany G. Smith-Fromm, M.N., R.N. “Our faculty and students develop fairly close relationships where we can address their needs as they arise. We understand that when our program starts, our students’ lives don’t stop. We make sure they keep us informed if they ever fall behind or need our help.”

Faculty are always discussing and evaluating curriculum to ensure students are well prepared to pass their NCLEX-RN exams. The program adopted the Kaplan NCLEX-RN Test Prep system five years ago, allowing students access to an additional resource that can identify areas of weakness. Students take assessments through the Kaplan program periodically, with the goal to improve their skills and better prepare them for exam day.

“At the end of the day, what matters to us is the impact we’re making on students,” Smith-Fromm said. “Our students are passing their exams, getting good jobs and making good wages for their families. That is success to us. It’s an honor to prepare students to live their dreams of becoming a nurse.”