3 NMC nursing grads pass NCLEX

Three Northern Marianas College graduates from the Class of 2016 just passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.

Joseph Jucutan, Mindy Jung, and Salvi Villanueva—who all took the exams at different times—have all passed the NCLEX, joining the ranks of NMC alumni passers before them.

NMC president Dr. Carmen Fernandez was happy with the results.

“I am proud of our students who have reached this important milestone in their lives, and I am also proud of the faculty and staff of NMC who have helped them throughout their educational journey,” said Fernandez.

NMC Nursing Department chair Rosa Tudela said the three were diligent, even as students.

“When they were students, I had an opportunity to see Joseph, Mindy, and Salvi apply their nursing knowledge and skills gained throughout their training in the care of their assigned patients,” said Tudela. “They all demonstrated safe nursing practices under my supervision, and I am quite pleased with their progress and growth throughout the semesters.”

“After graduation, they pursued studying for the NCLEX-RN exam, and I am very happy and proud that…they passed the [exam] and are now licensed to practice as registered nurses in the CNMI. Congratulations and well done!”

Jucutan said that passing the NCLEX is his first step.

“I like being able to help people. This is a step into my master plan of accomplishing my bigger goal in life,” he said.

Jung owed it all to NMC and felt grateful toward the college for equipping her with the knowledge to pass.

“I had the opportunity to take a [Certified Nursing Assistant] program, and through that program, I realized how being able to help someone get better makes me feel delighted and accomplished,” said Jung. “Without the knowledge and skills that I gained from the NMC Nursing Program, it would have been unimaginable for me to pass the exam.”

Villanueva shared the same sentiments.

“The volume of work we had to endure throughout nursing school definitely prepared me mentally to study on my own for the exam when I had finally graduated. My instructors were there for me whenever I needed them and had questions. NMC did a great job with making sure that we were ready for what was to come,” he said.

The NCLEX-RN is the exam nursing graduates in the CNMI have to pass in order to be able to practice nursing. The exam tests the knowledge, skills, and abilities of nursing graduates in order to certify that they are equipped with the capability to apply entry level nursing practices correctly.