Labouré Graduates Earn 91% Annual Pass Rate on NCLEX

Milton, MA - Labouré College of Healthcare graduates achieved an annual pass rate of 91% on the Registered Nurse licensure exam (NCLEX) for 2024, achieving a record high for the college and exceeding the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing’s minimum standard requirement of 80%.

This score was in part due to the college’s investment in intensive student support services and mentoring by faculty. This approach to supporting Labouré students recognizes that the majority are non-traditional students making personal commitments to advancing their careers in healthcare.

"I took my NCLEX right after I graduated. Everyone was kind of fearful of the exam, but Professors Catherine Harris and Maureen McDonald helped so much. They met with me, we had Zoom sessions, we went over questions together. I felt really prepared,” said graduate Michelle Roget, RN. “I followed all of their advice, and I passed!"

The average age of the Labouré nursing student is 35. They live and work to support their families in our Greater Boston communities, and over half are local nurse aides. All have various levels of college-preparedness. Many are first-generation Americans and over 40% are multilingual, speaking English as a second or third language. Studies have shown that these populations struggle disproportionately with complex standardized testing. Despite this, 91% of Labouré graduates are passing the first time they sit for the exam.

“We know that the students we serve are the nurses our communities need now, especially given the critical nursing workforce shortage. When given personal attention and aligned with the appropriate services, educational gaps are eliminated, and our students succeed in an academically rigorous environment. They successfully pass the licensure exam and then bring this knowledge, skill, cultural sensitivity, and maturity to their nursing career,” commented Lily S. Hsu, Ed.D., President of Labouré.

Labouré alumni are changing the demographics of Greater Boston’s nursing workforce. At 68% racially and ethnically diverse, Labouré nurses mirror the Boston patient population on a scale unmatched by any nursing program in New England. Patient representation in the local nursing workforce is a central call to action in the MA Attorney General’s Report, Building Toward Racial Justice and Equity in Health which examined longstanding health disparities among communities of color in the state.  

When nurses are representative of the communities they serve, patient communication improves, trust is developed, racism and prejudice in healthcare delivery is abated, and equity becomes achievable. In the MNA’s 2023 State of Nursing in Massachusetts survey, 69% of nurses said greater workforce diversity would help combat racial inequities in healthcare, and 68% said patients get better care and have better outcomes when the nursing workforce at a hospital reflects the racial and ethnic diversity of the patient community. 

“I could not be prouder of our graduates and all they have achieved,” said Hsu. “Labouré remains committed to our mission to prepare the nurses Massachusetts needs today.”

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For questions, please contact Katelyn Dwyer

katelyn_dwyer@laboure.edu

617-322-3535

About Labouré College of Healthcare:

Established in 1892, Labouré College of Healthcare is home to the largest and longest-running nursing program in Boston. Our students are adults, returning to school to begin a career they are passionate about and juggling courses with work and family commitments. More than 90% are from the local Greater Boston area. After graduation, they return to our communities, providing exceptional, culturally competent care. 

Labouré is a private, independent, 501(c)3. Located in Milton, Massachusetts the college offers nursing and healthcare career programs both on-campus and online.

Learn more at: https://www.laboure.edu/