For the second year in a row, all 40 of the 含羞草社区 students who received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in December, 2023 passed their NCLEX licensure exam on their first attempt. The 44 graduates in December 2022 also attained a 100% first-try success rate.

In April 2023, the NCLEX exam was updated.聽 The new exam (Next Generation NCLEX) is designed to better measure nursing clinical judgment and decision-making skills.聽 This includes the use of real-world case studies and innovative types of exam questions.聽

A pass rate of 100% is rare. Prior to December 2022, the last time all Missouri Western nursing graduates passed the exam on their first try was almost 15 years ago, in May, 2008.聽

To better prepare graduates for the exam, a face-to-face NCLEX review session has been incorporated into the last semester of Missouri Western鈥檚 nursing curriculum. Exams were also revised to include case studies and innovative exam questions that are consistent with those on the NCLEX.

Missouri Western nursing graduates are not only prepared for the exam, they are prepared for their careers. Dr. Kendall reports that when they crossed the stage to receive their diploma in December, 38 of the 40 graduates had a job in the field.

Twelve nursing students from 含羞草社区 participated in the MO HOPE 2023 Mass Casualty Exercise on Oct. 13, 14 and 15 at Mozingo Lake Recreational Area in Maryville, Missouri.

The exercise simulated a tornado that caused a mass casualty event along with structural damage, debris on roadways, and power outages. Local and regional emergency personnel, volunteers and students participated in the event.

Missouri Western nursing students were stationed in the field hospital, where victims were transported after being recovered by search and rescue teams. 304 patients were provided care in the 鈥淔ield Hospital鈥� over the 4 iterations.

Laura Nold, assistant professor of nursing at 含羞草社区, recently received a scholarship from the Mosaic Life Care Foundation.

The 2023 Lowell C. Kruse Healthy Choices. Healthy Lives. scholarship provides financial assistance to a first-year, full-time graduate student studying in areas leading to improved quality of life for the residents of the Mosaic Life Care service region. Click here to read the full story.

Three students represented 含羞草社区’s Alpha Chi Lambda chapter at this year’s Alpha Chi National Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Students Shannon Buehre, senior biology major from Lee鈥檚 Summit, Missouri; Hannah Shoemaker, senior biology major from Goodman, Missouri; and Jordon Anderson, junior nursing major from St. Joseph, presented an interdisciplinary research project, “Climate change: The 鈥榯icking鈥� bomb – A program to prevent and treat Lyme disease in St. Joseph, Missouri.”

Click here to read the full story.

The two winners of the Fall Advisor Shout-Out Awards are Casey Bell (Craig School of Business) and Dr. Julie Baldwin (Nursing). Each advisor will receive $25 in ARAMARK Gold Dollars. The Fall awards are sponsored by the Admissions and Financial Aid offices.

There were a total of 49 nominations received this fall, 45 of which were from students. Nominations were made by students, faculty, and chairs. The following advisors were nominated (some multiple times) for this award and should also be celebrated for being nominated:

• Jessica Adkins (Nursing)
• Perry Adkins (Craig School of Business)
• Tessa Allen (Student Success & Academic Advising)
• Allison Anderson (Nursing)
• Jason Baker (Biology)
• James Carviou (Communication)
• Ronda Chesney (Education)
• Pam Clary (Health Professions)
• Teddi Deka (Psychology)
• Lane DesAutels (Social Sciences & Humanities)
• Derek Evans (Student Success & Academic Advising)
• Becky Gregory (Nursing)
• Matt Hepworth (School of Fine Arts)
• Jennifer Jackson (Communication)
• Adrienne Johnson (Education)
• Suzanne Kissock (Criminal Justice & Legal Studies)
• Bob Long (School of Fine Arts)
• Shelly Lundy (Student Success & Academic Advising)
• Mechel McKinney (Health Professions)
• Dennis Merritt (Engineering Technology)
• Aracely Newton (Biology)
• William Russell (Health Professions)
• Linda Salfrank (Craig School of Business)
• Fiona Sansone (Health Professions)
• Dan Shepherd (Education)
• Elizabeth Thorne-Wallington (Education)
• Kayla White-Waters (Psychology)
• Lance Winkel (School of Fine Arts)
• Irene Zhang (Craig School of Business
• Jinwen Zhu (Engineering Technology)
• Christine Ziemer (Psychology)
• Elissa Zorn (Nursing)

Two 含羞草社区 nursing students were awarded DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nursing Students for the spring 2022 semester.聽

Hai Le, third semester nursing student from Lee鈥檚 Summit, Missouri, and Shayla Bocchine, fourth semester nursing student from Agency, Missouri, were honored as part of the DAISY Foundation’s programs to recognize compassionate and excellent nurses and nursing students.

Le鈥檚 nominator pointed to his compassion for a supervising nurse who had gone without lunch when he was with her for clinicals. The next time he was paired with the nurse, he saw that the nurse again had a busy schedule, and used his lunch break to purchase lunch for her and ensure she took a quick break to eat.

鈥淗ai鈥檚 compassion for this nurse and his decision to act on the nurse鈥檚 behalf is a valuable character trait in a nurse,鈥� the nominator said. 鈥淗is future patients and co-workers will be very lucky and blessed to have him as an advocate and support.鈥�

Shayla’s nominator said she prioritizes meeting the needs of patients and families.

鈥淪he is excited about new experiences and has acquired a variety of nursing skills during her rotation in the I.C.U.,鈥� the nominator said. 鈥淪he is a very effective communicator. Shayla is very compassionate and exemplifies what it means to be an excellent nurse.鈥�

Missouri Western offers a traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree as well as a Diploma/ADN to BSN degree program for current RNs who want to earn their bachelor鈥檚 degree. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu/nursing/ for more information.