MTSA announced its National Certification Examination (NCE) student pass rate for first-time takers was 85.7 percent in 2018, topping the national average of 84.3 percent.

The School improved its pass rate by focusing attention on the senior board review class and reducing students’ clinical rotations during their senior year in order to have dedicated study time and class instruction, according to MTSA Program Administrator Rusty Gentry, DNAP, CRNA.

“We also have a Self-Evaluation Examinations (SEE) benchmark, which students take a minimum of twice during their senior year. They must achieve that benchmark to graduate,” Gentry said.

He added that the feedback from graduates has been very helpful: “The emails and phone calls after boards are always welcome because they help us understand what worked or didn’t work or how we could do things a little differently. We’re keeping that open dialog, and MTSA appreciates the assistance from former graduates offered to future students who may be struggling with the NCE. They’re wanting to help other students at MTSA get over the hurdle.”

According to the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA), for fiscal year 2018, a total of 3,053 NCE exams were administered. The total number of candidates who took the NCE and were certified during FY 2018 was 2,448.