NMC’s Nursing Program produces more NCLEX passers

Ahlex Caracut, Sharmaine Alarzar, and Yingying Hu

Northern Marianas College nursing graduates Sharmaine Alarzar, Ahlex Caracut, and Yingying Hu recently joined the long list of students who have passed the challenging National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, or NCLEX-RN.

The NCLEX-RN exam 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.

“I am extremely proud to congratulate Yingying, Ahlex, and Sharmaine on passing the NCLEX-RN and becoming registered nurses,” NMC president Galvin Deleon Guerrero, Ed.D. said. “This is a tremendous accomplishment and a testament to their hard work and dedication to their studies at NMC.”

NMC Nursing Department chair Rosa Aldan also congratulated the three on their achievements.

“I am thrilled to congratulate Yingying, Ahlex, and Sharmaine on successfully passing the NCLEX-RN exam,” Aldan said. “This is a significant achievement, and it reflects their exceptional knowledge and skills in the nursing profession. Their commitment to excellence and their dedication to their patients are traits that will serve them well throughout their careers.”

Caracut, who graduated from the college’s nursing program in 2022, said her biggest motivation for pursuing a nursing career was her mom.

“She’s been hoping for me to become a nurse just like her and I hope to someday be as great as she was,” Caracut said.

Caracut added that in addition to the support she received from her family and friends, she is most appreciative of her peers and instructors at the college.

“Learning difficult topics [with my classmates and instructors] through emails and study groups helped me understand materials more efficiently,” Caracut said. “My advice for students planning to take the exam is to give yourself daily reminders of why you chose to pursue this career and use that as motivation to study.”

Alarzar, Caracut’s classmate, said that she always wanted to pursue a nursing career.

“At a young age I had always wanted to pursue nursing,” Alarzar said. “I wanted to help people and nursing is one of those careers where I know I can make a change. My passion to help others drove me to pursue this degree and still motivates me to further my education in nursing.”

Alarzar also expressed gratitude for her instructors and the program for helping her prepare for the rigorous exam.

“My nursing instructors provided a strong foundation on each topic that could appear on the NCLEX exam,” Alarzar said. “In addition, our weekly use of Kaplan practice questions helped me understand how NCLEX questions are structured and how to study effectively for the exam.”

Alarzar also advises others planning to take the exam not to just study, but also focus on their mental health.

“Be proud of your daily accomplishments,” Alarzar said. “Be positive, be prepared and always believe you can do it!”

Like Caracut and Alarzar, Hu attributes her success with the exam to the college’s nursing instructors and her classmates.

“NMC prepared me extremely well for the NCLEX exam,” Hu said. “My instructors developed a comprehensive course plan that helped me gain a thorough understanding of the material and memorize key concepts. This foundation made it much easier for me to absorb additional knowledge and recall materials when I prepared for the NCLEX after graduation. They also provided me with valuable advice on how to prepare for the exam, including specific study strategies and test-taking tips.”

Hu said she entered into the nursing field as it is a very rewarding career.

“I believe that being a nurse will give me a sense of happiness and satisfaction every day,” Hu said. “I find it very rewarding when a patient is healthier because of my care and his or her family can be happily reunited without having to endure the sadness that comes with illness.”

For more information about NMC’s nursing program, email Aldan at rosa.aldan@marianas.edu or call 237-6744. (NMC)