Graduates of the Bachelor of Science Nursing Program at Red Deer Polytechnic have been recognized for achieving the highest score on the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) – a 100 per cent pass rate.

“We are very proud of our students, who have worked extremely hard studying and preparing for the NCLEX RN exam, which ensures a reliable measurement of nursing competence,” says Kylie Thomas, Vice President Academic and Provost at Red Deer Polytechnic.

“Our dedicated graduates impressively ranked first among 11 Nursing programs in Alberta and tied four other programs in Canada with a perfect pass rate. After successfully completing the NCLEX, our graduates also qualified to become Registered Nurses, making a positive impact as practicing nursing professionals with industry leading knowledge and skills.”

All 31 of Red Deer Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Science Nursing students successfully passed the NCLEX RN exam, which was taken between October 2021 and March 2022. During the same timeframe, 86 per cent of Bachelor of Science Nursing graduates across the province and 80 per cent in the nation successfully passed the exam. In addition, 84 per cent of Bachelor of Science Nursing students in the United States passed the NCLEX.

“Red Deer Polytechnic’s Nursing faculty members should also be commended, as these top NCLEX RN results are a reflection of their commitment and expertise,” says Sharon Hamilton, Dean of School of Community, Wellness, and Health. “The faculty has worked hard since our institution transitioned to the NCLEX RN exam in 2016, ensuring that they are preparing our students to become top achievers and leaders in the region, province, and nation.”

Breanne Kent, who completed all four years of the University of Alberta Collaborative Baccalaureate Nursing Program at the Polytechnic in December 2021, felt that the evaluative tools used by Red Deer Polytechnic’s faculty throughout the program properly prepared learners for the exam.

“The personable instructors established high professional and academic standards,” she says. “Prioritization and critical reasoning assignments tested our ability to critically think, prioritize and rationalize our thinking on a timed basis, which were skills needed to answer the majority of questions presented on the NCLEX.”

The NCLEX exam is the final evaluation of a Bachelor of Science Nursing graduate’s competencies and readiness to begin a rewarding career as a Registered Nurse. At Red Deer Polytechnic, preparation for the nursing profession and exam, is a four-year process that involves many interwoven components.

Along with learning in classrooms and simulation labs, collaborations and partnerships between the institution, Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre and central Alberta community agencies are instrumental in enhancing the overall academic and practical experiences for the Polytechnic’s Nursing students. This helps the learners to apply their knowledge from classrooms and labs to practical settings.

“In clinical, we had the direct support of our clinical instructors and the primary nurses on the unit, which added depth and value to the skills we learned,” says Kent, who took the NCLEX RN exam in February 2022 and works as a Registered Nurse in Red Deer. “Some of the most valuable and memorable moments came from learning new skills in labs and practicing them in clinical settings alongside our peers - specifically, learning the assessments of each body system.”