The Challenge: Enhancing NCLEX Readiness
Collaboration between Nurse Recruiters, Clinical Education, and Senior Leadership led to the idea of supporting NCLEX readiness for employees. The team discovered that while New York State’s NCLEX pass rates were generally low at around 78%, Kaleida Health’s pass rates hovered around 92%. Although this was much higher than the state average, there was a desire for improvement. This was compounded due to the impact of COVID-19, which affected students’ clinical experiences and critical thinking development.
The goal was clear: Kaleida needed a tool that would enhance NCLEX readiness, build confidence among new graduates, and ultimately improve pass rates.
The Solution: UWorld’s Comprehensive Support
Maria Garlick, a Core Nurse Educator, facilitates the NCLEX Prep Program at Kaleida Health. Maria first heard about UWorld from her students, many of who were already using it independently. “They either wanted it or were already getting it, and they were paying for it themselves,” Maria said.
Her students praised UWorld’s user-friendly interface and appreciated how closely it simulated the actual NCLEX exam. This feedback, combined with the program’s affordability and adaptability, made UWorld an obvious choice for Kaleida Health.
Kaleida Health’s NCLEX Prep Program offers new hires and current employees who are preparing to take the NCLEX a subscription to UWorld and NCLEX Prep Classes. The classes are held in-person and online every other week for 4 hours. The classes follow a flipped classroom model. Students complete pre-work prior to class. In class, Maria remediates the most missed questions from the pre-work, offers study recommendations, and goes over an in-class assignment with new content.
Using UWorld’s reporting tools, Maria monitors students’ progress and identifies areas needing extra attention. In class, Maria uses UWorld’s polling feature to engage them in tackling challenging questions. This active learning method ensures a strong foundation and thorough preparation for the NCLEX.
“For the pre-work assignments, I usually assign about 50 UWorld questions,” explained Maria. “Then my students do another assignment in class. Sometimes we'll do this in-class assignment separately, and sometimes we'll do it all as a group. Those are around 75 UWorld questions.”
The Results: Impressive Improvements in NCLEX Pass Rates
Since implementing this NCLEX Prep Program with UWorld, Kaleida Health has seen remarkable results. Their NCLEX pass rate jumped from 92% to nearly 98%, an improvement that includes new graduates as well as those who had previously failed the exam or were in non-new graduate positions.
Students have consistently provided positive feedback, highlighting how UWorld’s comprehensive rationales and detailed answer explanations helped them grasp complex nursing concepts — such as pharmacology and pathophysiology — more effectively. Maria’s structured approach and UWorld’s extensive question bank have been pivotal in boosting students’ confidence and exam readiness.
Looking Forward: Sustaining Success
Kaleida Health plans to continue utilizing UWorld in its nursing program and maintain the current hybrid model of in-person and online classes. Maria believes that any nursing education department looking to improve NCLEX pass rates should consider UWorld. She advises other educators to conduct an environmental scan to identify areas for improvement and tailor their nursing programs to meet specific needs.
As Maria looks to the future, she aims to maintain these high pass rates and improve nurse retention at Kaleida Health. The ongoing use of UWorld will continue to provide essential support, helping new nurses excel in their exams and careers.
