Hope College nursing graduates have consistently bested the national and state averages in passing the national licensing exam. This year, they did it perfectly.

Every Hope College nursing graduate of the 2010-11 school year passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).  It is the highest pass rate in the history of the program, which achieved pass rates of 97 percent during 2009-10 and 95 percent during 2008-09.

The state and national averages for 2010-11 were 92 percent and 91 percent respectively.

The department of nursing at Hope began in 2002, although nursing education at the college goes back another two decades.  From 1982 through 2003, Hope and Calvin College operated a nursing program jointly before creating their own, independent programs.

The program, which leads to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), is approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Students begin studies in the program as sophomores based on completion of prerequisite classes as freshmen.  The major includes coursework on campus as well as multiple field placements, the latter spread across six specialty practicum courses, a research practicum, a family health course and an internship.  Area clinical sites have included DeVos Children's Hospital, Holland Hospital, the Ottawa County Health Department, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, Spectrum Health and Zeeland Hospital.