The last few years have been undeniably rough on the nursing profession.
The pandemic brought lasting change to the profession and forced nursing education to change.
But students and educators at Western Oklahoma State College of Nursing have thrived, showing significant improvements in NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates in all four programs.
In fact, the Altus campus and the online LPN-to-RN program had 100-percent first-time pass rates in 2023.
Diane Fairchild, MSN, RN is the Director of Nursing at WOSC.
She sees the superior pass rates as proof her college’s programs are adapting and thriving.
She has a good idea why.
“The dedicated faculty focus on critical thinking and clinical judgment in both the classroom and the clinical area,” Fairchild said. “(Nursing education) has changed dramatically because of Covid. Nurses think differently about going into the field. Covid has impacted nursing tremendously.
“I think we’re seeing overall somewhat of a decline in those who are interested in entering the field. I think Covid has made us take a step back and some students are afraid.”
The NCLEX-RN changed formats in April 2023 adapting to a more critical thinking format. The “next generation” testing focused on a clinical judgment model and evolving case studies.
Nationwide, the current first-time RN pass rate for U.S.-educated students sits at 88.56 percent. Oklahoma’s pass rate is slightly lower.
Fairchild said the profession has seen an exodus of nurses leaving the bedside since Covid for a variety of reasons. That puts an even greater focus on training the next generation of nurses.
“It’s also driven those who truly have the desire to care for patients, I think Covid has driven some people with the desire to care for others into nursing because they want to do what they can to take care of people in those moments. They want to make sure that patients are not alone when end-of-life is near.”
Western Oklahoma State has one of the only ADN programs in southwest Oklahoma.
Established as Altus Junior College in 1926, it is the oldest original municipal two-year college still in existence in Oklahoma.
The Nursing Program at Western Oklahoma State College was established in 1981 and has been preparing qualified nurses for many years.
The WOSC nursing program is offered at three campus sites: Altus, Lawton, and Elk City. Western’s ADN program has several program tracks.
Face-to-face classes for both general and advanced standing entry students are available as well as online classes with a face-to-face clinical component for advanced standing students. Students in the face-to-face track take daytime classes at all three campuses.
“One of our major goals is to meet the needs of southwest Oklahoma by having a high-quality nursing program and having nurses go into our communities to stay and meet the nursing needs of the people in that community,” Fairchild said.
“We have to meet student needs. Students have different study habits from students many years ago. Our students need more active learning and education with emphasis on clinical judgment and soft skills,” Fairchild said. “I see an increased need for communication with other healthcare providers and with patients. Patient teaching is vital in nursing. Nursing instructors and faculty need to meet those needs by encouraging better communication skills and critical thinking.”
WOSC NCLEX-RN pass rates for the LPN-to-RN track had already met or exceeded the requirements of the Oklahoma Board of Nursing for the past several years.
She credits the faculty for adapting quickly to meet the students both during and after the pandemic.
“Many of the instructors spend more time with students, helping individually with tutoring. They have come up with more active lessons in the classroom so the students are more engaged. They go into clinicals and teach at the bedside, not just in the classroom. Overall, they just love their students and they express that to them.
“When students struggle, they build them up instead of tearing them down.”
For more information about the Western Oklahoma State College of Nursing program visit https://www.wosc.edu/nursing.
