By: Erik Pedersen, Content Strategy Director

BALTIMORE – Notre Dame of Maryland University School of Nursing undergraduates achieved an outstanding 94.81 percent first-time pass rate on the National Council of Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) during the 2024 fiscal year, reinforcing the University’s position as a national leader in preparing students to excel in the profession.

Notre Dame’s 94.81 percent pass rate was among the highest in the School of Nursing’s history, and it also coincides with a dramatic increase in the number of students enrolled in the University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Accelerated 2nd Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) programs. The number of Notre Dame students sitting for the NCLEX-RN exam has risen by 125 percent since the first ABSN cohort graduated in 2020.

Passing the NCLEX-RN is a prerequisite for graduates to receive their nursing license in the United States. As of April 2023, the exam now includes next generation features, using real-world case studies to assess a candidate’s ability to think more critically and make correct decisions. Notre Dame’s first-time pass rate is above the 2023 averages both nationally (88.56 percent) and within the state of Maryland (82.93 percent).

“I am so proud of the School of Nursing’s faculty and staff, who dedicated an incredible amount of time and energy to ensure that our students were prepared to pass the Next Gen NCLEX-RN,” said Dr. Kathleen Wisser, dean of the School of Nursing. “Within a caring science learning environment, the faculty’s commitment to student success is supported with compassion and competence. I am confident that Notre Dame graduates are educated in the clinical and technical aspects of nursing. Even more importantly, however, the School of Nursing instills the sacredness of caring and listening to a patient’s story without interruption or judgment.”

The School of Nursing integrates several Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) products into the curriculum to help prepare students for the NCLEX. Staff and faculty also focus on active learning strategies in the classroom to promote sound clinical judgment, and they support critical thinking and clinical reasoning during simulations conducted in the University’s innovative Center for Caring with Technology.

Notre Dame’s nursing programs are consistently recognized at the national level. U.S. News & World Report listed the University’s undergraduate nursing program as one of the top undergraduate nursing programs in the country in both the 2022 and 2023 Best Colleges rankings, and NDMU was the only Maryland university to be included in Money.com’s Best Nursing Master’s Program for Your Money rankings.

“This outstanding NCLEX pass rate is a testament to the hard work and dedication demonstrated daily by School of Nursing Dean Kathleen Wisser, her fellow faculty and staff members, and most importantly our nursing students,” said Dr. Marylou Yam, president of Notre Dame of Maryland University. “Notre Dame is proud to be among the nation’s best at preparing the next generation of nurses to provide expert and compassionate care to their patients.”

Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.