WACO, TX — The nursing program at McLennan Community College is proving, once again, they have what it takes.
This after not enough students were hitting the minimum requirement when it came to their nursing exams called the National Council Licensure Examination.
On Jan. 24, the Texas Board of Nursing notified MCC that its status changed from approved with warning to conditional approval because of low passing rates.
The changed forced McLennan Community College to no longer admit students for the associate degree in the nursing program for the fall semester.
"It's been hard. Anyone that's been through a nursing program can tell you that it's rigorous," said Level 3 RN student Stacie Breed.
She's one of 86 students enrolled in the program.
"I mean, you have very stressful moments in clinical and in class. You have very high stress environment," said Level 3 RN student Ashleigh Wright
So the faculty and students got together and decided to step it up by making admissions exams more challenging and courses more rigorous. Staff even attended improvement seminars.
"I've come too far to do anything else because this is where I'm supposed to be," said Wright.
Today, after months of focus and studying, the Texas Board of Nursing took another look at MCC's latest exam scores, and the result was a success.
MCC's board scores for the NCLEX reached a pass rate of 87.72%, surpassing the minimum of 80% and putting the program back to full approval status.
"I'm just thankful that this is now what the community will see us as, and get it back to the reputation that it always has been," said Breed.
With this new accreditation status, MCC can once again accept new nursing students.
The deadline to apply for spring semester is Monday, October 28.
