Gardner-Webb’s Hunt School of Nursing Celebrates Pass Rates on Pre-Licensure Exams

2024 Graduates Provide Patient-Centered Care; Online Davis RN to BSN Program Starts Oct. 18 

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—The Gardner-Webb University Hunt School of Nursing (HSON) offers associate and bachelor’s degree programs in various formats that prepare graduates to provide patient-centered care using up-to-date scientific research. The comprehensive curriculum in the traditional and accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN and ABSN), and the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) equips students to succeed on the NCLEX-RN, a pre-licensure exam that measures the nursing candidates’ clinical judgement and decision-making abilities.

Gardner-Webb also offers the fully-online Davis RN to BSN program. Presented in an eight-week format, this option starts on Oct. 18. The curriculum includes 30 credit hours of nursing courses. If all general education courses have been completed, students can complete all course requirements in as little as one year. This program also allows students a jumpstart on their Master of Science in Nursing. (Learn more here.)

Recently, Gardner-Webb’s 2024 nursing students celebrated their pass rates on the test. Both the accelerated and traditional BSN graduates achieved a 100% pass rate. Graduates of the ASN program had a 90% pass rate.

Dr. Jessica Ivey, associate professor and chair of Pre-Licensure Nursing Programs, praised the dedicated faculty and students for their accomplishments. “We are incredibly proud of our students for their hard work and dedication to the nursing profession,” Ivey related. “Our faculty are equally dedicated to fostering a nurturing and supportive environment where students thrive. Grounded in Christian values, our goals promote excellence, critical thinking, professionalism, and interdisciplinary collaboration, preparing our students to meet the evolving healthcare needs of the global community.”

Dr. Tracy Arnold, associate dean of the College of Health Sciences and professor of nursing, also recognized the commitment of students, faculty, and staff in achieving these pass rates. “Our students diligently applied themselves to the demands of nursing school and their hard work, dedication, and sacrifices have been reflected in their ability to pass the NCLEX-RN,” Arnold asserted. “I am exceptionally grateful to our faculty and staff who worked tirelessly to help our students achieve this amazing accomplishment.”

Garrett Briggs received his BSN in 2024 through the nursing school’s accelerated BSN program, and he is working in the emergency room at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. He previously worked in medical research but missed interacting with people. “I wanted to help people,” he reflected. “I wanted to be able to be with and talk to people, and I wanted a job that would allow me to use my hands as well as my brain.”

He chose Gardner-Webb’s ABSN program because he already had a bachelor’s degree and was impressed with the University’s openness and helpfulness with the application process and its impressive pass rates. “I believe what Gardner-Webb did best to prepare me for the test was set realistic expectations with their own unit examinations and plan a curriculum around the NCLEX as the end goal. Each and every professor went above and beyond what they needed to do in order to ensure that their students felt confident not only in the curriculum, but also in themselves and what we were trying to accomplish.”       

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at Gardner-Webb.edu.