Concordia College’s nursing program has once again topped RegisteredNursing.org’s list of the best nursing programs in Minnesota.
“It is an honor for our nursing program to be recognized for the quality of our program two years in a row,” said Dr. Jack Rydell, department chair of nursing at Concordia.
When making its rankings, RegisteredNursing.org looks at a number of factors, including NCLEX-RN “pass rates.” NCLEX-RN or National Council Licensure Examination (for) Registered Nurses is an adaptive test that is required to pass in order to be a registered nurse in the United States and Canada. Concordia scored an impressive “pass rate” score of 93.41.
“Our faculty work closely with our nursing students to provide the knowledge and resources needed to be successful in our program and in their careers thereafter,” Rydell said, also noting Concordia’s strong industry connections.
In addition, Rydell says students now have the added benefit of unique learning experiences available in the new Heimarck Center, the hub of the Sanford Heimarck School of Health Professions. The state-of-the-art building houses classes in nursing, psychology, physical therapy, and other health-related fields.
The Heimarck Center aims to provide a realistic and immersive learning environment. Its features include a nursing simulation lab with high-fidelity manikins (medical-training mannequins) to simulate hospital settings, a home health lab, and one-way windows for professors to observe students in action and later share feedback.
When the center held its grand opening, the Sanford Heimarck School of Health Professions dean, Dr. Gwen Halaas, called the center a game changer. “For an undergraduate campus to have this kind of experiential learning that looks like a hospital or a home is incredible,” she said. “It will transform how they’re learning because they’ll be able to apply the skills and knowledge they have gained in a realistic setting.”
Learn more about nursing at Concordia.
Written by Brendan Fee ’24