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Lacorte passes NCLEX on first try
Joy Lacorte was born and raised in the beautiful island of Saipan to Ernie and Jho Lacorte. Growing up, her dream was to be a teacher. However, many of her advisers and mentors encouraged her to pursue nursing.
Joy Lacorte
As high school graduation was fast approaching, Lacorte gave the idea more and more thought. She even shadowed nurses. Being a daughter of a nurse also helped guide her in that direction. She then had the opportunity to go to Palau for an oratorical competition and there she met an elderly lady who was a retired nurse who served on Saipan for a little bit. Out of curiosity, Lacorte asked her why she decided to become a nurse. What the lady said sealed the deal for Lacorte. However, what the nurse said remains something between her and Lacorte.
When Lacorte entered the nursing program at the Northern Marianas College, she was inspired by her classmates’ enthusiasm and dedication to their studies. After completion of her degree, Lacorte began her review for the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX.
“I was very overwhelmed at first because of the extensive amount of knowledge that needed to be mastered,” said Lacorte. “But I just said a prayer, took a deep breath, and took it one day at a time.”
Lacorte said that before she began her review she divided her review books into the number of weeks she had left to put herself on a schedule. That system—and the effort she made to master the materials—helped her pass the NCLEX on her first take.
Lacorte also believes that her clinical experience throughout nursing school was what helped her the most. “I learned a lot when we were on the floors and what I read in the books became alive in the actual setting.”
She also attributes her success to her family’s continuous love and support.
Lacorte will now pursue her bachelor’s of science in Nursing at Southern Adventist University in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
