BIDDEFORD — For the third year in a row, the University of New England’s Nursing program had more graduates pass their nursing license exam than any other Bachelor of Science in nursing program in the state.
 
UNE’s pass rate from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2017 was 95.45 percent, well above the statewide average of 88.11 percent and the national average of 88.40 percent.

UNE Director of Nursing Jen Morton says the students’ success can be attributed the preparation and training they receive during their education.

“Since I came to UNE five years ago, we have worked to implement strategies that will best prepare our students to meet the challenges they will face in their careers,” Morton said. “This includes constant quality improvement in our program that includes standardized testing to ensure that our students are performing at a high level compared to other nursing students nationwide.”
 
The university has hired highly qualified faculty who specialize in nursing education and partnered with clinical partners that provide exceptional sites for students to train. Education and training do not end at graduation. UNE faculty members continue to work with students until they take their license exam.
 
“The wealth of knowledge and passion for nursing among all of our professors was amazing,” said Abigail Marshall ’17. “I could tell they were truly invested in my success, working overtime to make sure all of their students had what they needed to graduate and pass our exams.”
 
Matthew Lettick ’17 said the high pass rate was one of the main reasons he chose to major in Nursing at UNE.

“We all study for the NCLEX, but anxiety plays a huge factor in passing or failing. We took a class during our last semester that made us comfortable in the exam environment. The faculty and staff are also so knowledgeable, and at the same time so approachable, that I never hesitated to come to them with questions. They gave me the confidence I needed to pass the exam.”
 
The University of New England is Maine’s largest private university, an innovative educational community with two distinctive coastal Maine campuses, a vibrant new campus in Tangier, Morocco, and a robust offering of degree and certificate programs online.

UNE attracts accomplished faculty and internationally recognized scholars who engage students in research and scholarship. It is home to Maine’s only medical and dental schools—part of a comprehensive health education mission built on a pioneering interprofessional approach that includes pharmacy, nursing and an array of allied health professions.
 
To learn more about the University of New England’s Westbrook College of Health Professions visit www.une.edu/wchp