Only One of Two Programs in Ohio Obtain Rating

Trinity Health System School of Nursing (TSON) is very proud to announce that the Class of 2022 has achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam.

The National Council Licensure Examination [for] Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam is “the world’s premier licensure exam and uses computerized adaptive testing (CAT) technology to deliver the exam, ensuring a valid and reliable measurement of nursing competence.” In order to be licensed as an RN in the United States and Canada, nursing students must pass the NCLEX-RN exam.

Out of 123 Nursing Programs in the state of Ohio, the Trinity School of Nursing (TSON) is one of two programs to obtain this impressive achievement. Furthermore, Trinity Health System is the only local program to receive this rating.

Dedicated faculty create a quality program

Melissa Hassan, MSN, RN, Dean of the School of Nursing, attributes the program’s success to the dedication and commitment of the Board of Trustees, hospital administration, nursing staff, and a master’s-prepared faculty.

“I am blessed with an experienced and dedicated faculty whose primary goal is to assist students in achieving their goal of becoming a Registered Nurse,” she said. “Nursing and healthcare are constantly changing; delivering safe nursing care through best practices is the faculty’s number one priority. Due to the rigor of the program, students work diligently to achieve the educational and career goals we set before them.”

Since the pandemic, TSON, along with many other nursing programs, has struggled to educate future nurses. Pass rates across the nation have declined over the past five years. The 2022 national pass rate was 79.9 percent, with Ohio’s rate being 75.83 percent.

“Being a hospital-based diploma program, there is a focus on increased clinical hours and hands-on experience,” Hassan said. “Although simulation is a valuable learning tool, nothing can replace caring for human patients. We try very hard to keep our faculty-to-student ratios low, and the faculty are responsible for both didactic and clinical student experiences. We do not utilize adjunct faculty for clinical, which allows for optimal correlation between theory and clinical.”

An example of this is found in the final nursing course, Transition to Professional Practice. Senior nursing students work with preceptors in the hospital setting to learn time management and prioritization of patient care in meeting the comprehensive needs of the patients they serve.

Program’s reputation attracts students

Hayley Stamps, RN, Trinity Health System Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and a 2022 graduate of TSON, chose to attend the school because of her mother’s experience with the program.

“My mom is an alumnus of the program, and she always talked about

Trinity School of Nursing being the best nursing program around,” Stamps said. “Pursuing nursing was not the first course I went to college for, but when I started my job as a nurse’s aide and began school at TSON, it all made sense as to why I was there.”

Ryan Maple, RN, Trinity Health System ICU, 2022 TSON graduate, said he also enrolled in the program because of the alumni testimonials.

“I could not have asked for better instructors,” Maple said. “In my opinion, the instructors made the whole experience great, from lectures to clinical. The friendships that I made with classmates were also incredible. We were always pushing each other to work toward our goal of becoming RNs.”

Stamps agreed, adding that instructors also encourage 1:1 review and frequent academic adviser meetings.

“Prepping for the NCLEX was a lot easier with the resources from the school and the help of the instructors,” she said.

Beyond the clinical setting, TSON encourages students to participate in community events, such as cancer screenings and the Juneteenth festival, where Stamps said they had a tent set up to take blood pressures and blood sugars and of course, distribute free swag.

“It is such a refreshing feeling to give back in any way you can,” she said. “I am thankful that TSON presented me with these opportunities.”

Many students remain at hospital after graduation

Maple and Stamps are examples of how TSON students often end up working within Trinity Health System.

“My favorite experience was my clinical rotation in the ICU,” Maple said. “It was then when I decided I was going to work in the ICU. ”

Hassan said at least 50 percent of each class elect to work at Trinity Health System upon graduation from the program.

“The graduates are familiar with the hospital’s electronic health record (EHR), policies, and procedures, making their transition into professional practice a more comfortable and confident fit,” she explained. “Furthermore, the core values of Trinity Health System are intertwined within the School of Nursing curriculum.”

TSON’s legacy is over a century old

For more than 100 years, Trinity Health System School of Nursing has been a formidable educational staple in the community. Since its inception in 1912, the School has educated 2,466 Registered Nurses. Trinity School of Nursing is a two-year diploma nursing program that boasts a strong, nursing-focused curriculum.

The School of Nursing has achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the NCLEX-RN four out of the past six years and has consistently exceeded state and national pass rates.

“Nursing school is going to be hard, that’s a given, but you will walk out of there feeling like it was all worth it,” Stamps said. “You will feel confident in your skills and knowledge when you start working in the nursing profession. As a student, you are seen and heard. I would recommend this program to any and everybody.”

Additional information about the School of Nursing is available at www.trinityson.com or by calling 740-266-1230. For those looking for a way to finance their education without loan debt, Trinity Health System offers students an optional scholarship that covers or reimburses the tuition and fees for the entire program and concludes with a full-time RN position in Trinity Health System upon licensure.