MESA, Ariz. (Sept. 6, 2016) – The Arizona Board of Nursing just released its 2015 nursing school rankings, placing Pima Medical Institute’s Mesa campus nursing associate degree program at number one in the state.
Pima Medical offers the associate degree in nursing program at its Mesa and Tucson, Ariz. campuses. It also educates nurses at its Albuquerque, N.M., campus, and offers an online bachelor of nursing (RN to BSN) program.
“Many colleges gauge their institution’s effectiveness on the success and outcomes of their students. Both our Mesa and Tucson nursing programs have a long history of student success,” said Pima Medical Institute President and Chief Executive Officer, Fred Freedman. “The most recent Arizona Board of Nursing ranking validates Pima Medical’s commitment of offering high-caliber education to achieve the best possible results. We are grateful that the Board of Nursing maintains such high standards and thankful to our graduates for representing themselves and our institution with such distinction.”
The board’s ranking is based on licensure and graduation rates. It calculates on-time graduation rates from each school’s reported data and combines that with the National Council Licensure Examination’s (NCLEX) first-time 2015 pass rate, creating a Program Outcome Index.
“The Program Outcome Index is a measure of the program’s ability to educate, and make eligible for licensure, admitted students in an optimal time-frame,” the board’s report states.
Pima Medical’s Mesa campus nursing program NCLEX-RN pass rate for 2015 was 91.67 percent, compared to the state of Arizona’s, which was 82.95 percent and the national rate, which was 87.03 percent. Pima Medical’s on-time 2015 graduation rate was 92 percent, whereas the state’s was 67.67 percent.
“Pima Medical Institute’s nursing faculty and support members apply, with every student, what the National League for Nursing (NLN) describes as Human Flourishing,” said Mesa Nursing Program Director Sharon Caves.
“We advocate for the students to be the best they can be, at the level they can accomplish it, while helping them envision that they can indeed become even better. It has been well documented that our evidence-based admission and selection process and staff; and our student support services and staff are a huge part of our success.”
The school’s curriculum quickly builds nursing students’ abilities to manage complex and ambiguous patient problems.
“Our curriculum is built around the outcome competencies the NLN has identified for graduate success – providing and strengthening cognitive knowledge, affective attitudes, and practical skills. When our students graduate, they must be able to reason, problem solve and recognize complicated conditions quickly and accurately. We prepare them for that. The hospitals where our students go for their practical experience frequently tell us that our students hit the floor running.”
Pima Medical’s Tucson campus nursing program also saw good outcomes in 2015, with a 96.43 percent NCLEX-RN pass rate.
Pima Medical provides not only a stringent learning environment for the students, but has a robust educational support team for the faculty, keeping them current on teaching and assessment of healthcare methodologies, Caves explained.
“When asked what makes us unique, the faculty and support teams overwhelmingly said ‘we care; we partner with the students.’ They know we are passionate about them. We see beyond the external veneer and see their humanness, their fears and their dreams. We help them flourish.”
Mesa Campus Director Debra Thibodeaux agreed that the campus’ attentive faculty is what leads to student success.
“We have a small community of faculty, staff, and leaders that are determined to inspire our students towards being their very best,” Thibodeaux said. “Our most recent ranking is a reflection of our commitment to excellence and that no matter your size you can achieve greatness.”
Pima Medical’s Mesa campus also stands out with its male student body population, Caves said.
“Compared to schools in Arizona of comparable size, our male student body is 10 percent higher than others. That’s significant because there is a national push to increase the number of males in the profession,” Caves said. “Our student population is between 28 to 30 percent male, whereas other schools of comparable size are about 18 to 20 percent,” according to the Arizona Board of Nursing.
The mission of the Arizona State Board of Nursing is to protect and promote the welfare of the public by ensuring that each person holding a nursing license or certificate is competent to practice safely. The board fulfills its mission through the regulation of the practice of nursing and the approval of nursing education programs. It has collected data and ranked Arizona nursing programs since 2001.
Media Contact
Elizabeth Baker
Public Relations and Communications Specialist
480-610-6068
ebaker@pmi.edu
About Pima Medical Institute
Pima Medical Institute is a private, accredited school dedicated to provide students classroom studies paired with real-world training at medical facilities. Established in 1972, Pima Medical Institute helps students become career ready, focusing exclusively on health care professions, including medical, dental, veterinary and nursing fields. Curriculum includes certificate, associate degree and bachelor’s degree programs, ranging from nursing, medical assistant and radiology technician to veterinary assistant and dental hygienist.
Pima Medical Institute operates 16 campuses as well as an online division. The medical career college has a presence in eight western states with ground locations in Albuquerque, N.M.; Tucson, Phoenix and Mesa, Ariz.; Denver and Colorado Springs, Colo.; Seattle and Renton, Wash.; Las Vegas, N.V.; Houston and El Paso, Texas; Chula Vista, Calif.; and Dillon, Mont. For more information and a complete list of programs offered at each campus, visit pmi.edu or call 1-888-442-5998.
