Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing Achieves Over a 90% Success Rate

On October 30th, the Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing (PHSSN) achieved a 93.55 percent success rate for the NCLEX-RN. The announcement came just weeks after the CCNE’s accreditation visit to PHSSN, which took place in mid-October. This year’s accreditation visit included an examination of the Baccalaureate (BSN), Master’s and the Advanced Practice Registered Nursing (ARPN) certificate programs.

“It’s the highest honor to have your students reach the epitome of success that we have seen with our students here at Patty Hanks… We are just thrilled about it. Both schools, Hardin-Simmons and McMurry, have been so supportive and to achieve the high outcomes of the program is really a testament to the support of the universities,” says Dr. Sheila Garland, dean of the Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing.

PHSSN students practice their skills on a pregnant mannequin.

PHSSN is a consortium of Hardin-Simmons University and McMurry University. It is the only intercollegiate program in Texas that serves two private universities. PHSSN’s commitment to creating Christian leaders for the nursing industry lends to the program’s high standards of education and patient care. PHSSN’s faculty “believe that nursing is a profession that is responsive to the changing health care needs of individuals and is supported by an expanding body of knowledge,” and that, “through faith, commitment, perseverance and interdisciplinary collaboration, students are provided the opportunity to expand their understanding of health, environment, person, and nursing.”

A PHSSN student learns infant CPR.

The National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) is an exam that nursing students must pass to receive their nursing license. This license is granted by the state board and allows the receiver to practice nursing in the state where the permit was issued. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) states that over 5,400,000 candidates have taken the NCLEX exam since April 1994.

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is a group of evaluators that works under the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). They are officially recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accreditation agency. According to their website, the CCNE “serves the public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage in effective educational practices,” and accredits nursing schools that produce successful graduates through their use of effective nursing education. The commission evaluates programs based on four standards: program quality, institutional commitment and resources, curriculum and teaching-learning practices, and program effectiveness. Their website also states that “CCNE accreditation supports and encourages continuing self-assessment by nursing programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education and nurse residency programs.”

PHSSN’s accreditation results will be announced in late Spring 2019.