Radford University’s School of Nursing has been ranked the third best in Virginia by registerednursing.org. The top 20 nursing schools were ranked after analyzing all schools in the commonwealth offering nursing programs. This is the fourth annual ranking presented by the website.
Also featured on the list were Radford nursing programs at the Roanoke Higher Education Center and Radford University Carilion (RUC).
Radford University President Brian O. Hemphill said, “Radford University has always been on the forefront of delivering high-quality education that leads to rewarding careers. In this challenging time, it is exciting to know that this tradition continues as we prepare nurses across all degree levels for front-line positions caring for the health of our communities, including our families, friends and neighbors, for years to come. On behalf of the Radford University family, I am proud of the great work being done by our nursing faculty and students in Radford and Roanoke.”
Registerednursing.org ranks nursing schools each year in all 50 states using current and historical NCLEX-RN pass rates for all nursing programs available at an institution (Associate Degree in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing or direct-entry Master of Science in nursing programs). The NCLEX-RN pass rates were analyzed using the five most recent years of available data. Schools’ pass rates were averaged together and weighted by the most recent date of the exam. For example, exam pass rates in 2018 count more towards overall rankings than scores from 2014.
Radford University’s NCLEX-RN scores were well above average in 2019, the latest data year available. Nursing students on the main campus scored an average 97.6% on their NCLEX-RN exams, and RUC students scored an average 93.5%. The average national score in 2019 was 83.5%; the average for Virginia was 89.4%.
“Radford University School of Nursing graduates continue to demonstrate how our rigorous curriculum is not only educating them for dynamic careers, but also preparing them to lead and innovate in the fast-paced world of healthcare,” said Iris Mullins, interim director of the School of Nursing. “The nursing faculty are proud of our students’ accomplishments.”
As a leader in nursing education, the Radford University School of Nursing provides students with opportunities to excel in a field win which the demand grows stronger each year. Among the programs offered on the undergraduate level are the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), RN to BSN and Accelerated BSN. At the graduate level, the school offers the Master of Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Master of Nursing: Nursing Administration and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), with concentrations in Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Executive Leadership and Psychiatric Mental Health. The school also offers a Psychiatric Mental Health Post-Master Certificate and online continuing education opportunities for registered nurses.
“This recognition further highlights the exceptional quality of nursing education at Radford University,” said Teresa Ann Conner, Radford University’s associate provost for health sciences. “We have a long history of educating nurses to serve our region and are extremely proud of our faculty, staff and students.”
