ESSU’s nursing passing rate surpasses national’s

By NINFA QUIRANTE, PIA Eastern Samar
February 21, 2011

BORONGAN, Eastern Samar  –  The result of the December 2010 Nursing Board Exam revealed the lowest passing rate in the last ten years – 35.25%.

Closer to home though, the Eastern Samar State University’s first go at the board examinations resulted in a 63.62% passing rate.

Out of the 44 examinees from the university, 28 graduates passed the licensure examinations hailing from the towns of San Julian, Balangkayan, Dolores, Borongan, Maydolong, Jipapad and Hinabangan, Samar.

The dean of ESSU’s College of Nursing Ruth Aguilar, is expecting a motorcade to congratulate the passers and most certainly a streamer with the passers’ names.

Rey Dominic Ladera, instructor in the college credits “teacher factor and the rigorous screening process” for this success.

The university conducted a pre-board examination before the actual board examinations on December and 90% of the students aced the test.

“But we were overwhelmed of the result,” Ladera said.

The stakes are high for high school graduates wanting to enroll to the university’s program because a student has to have a general weighted average of 85% to qualify.

Entry to the college is not the end all though because, Aguilar explained, students in the nursing program are expected to get a 2.2 mark on all courses; otherwise, they are “advised to shift to a different program or transfer.”

“The students are evaluated every semester,” Aguilar said.

When asked about her reaction to reports of nursing graduates ending up unemployed or underemployed, Aguilar said that she would still encourage people to take up nursing. “In our province alone, there remains a big need for health workers,” Aguilar said.

The college is planning to launch a campaign in local high schools to encourage students to become nurses.