Motlow State Community College nursing graduates last year did measurably better than the state and national average on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for registered nurses, according to Marian Stewart, interim director of nursing at the college.

Motlow's nursing graduates averaged 94.44 percent on the test, while the state average was 91.98 percent and the national average was 85.47 percent.

The fact that Motlow beat the state average is even more impressive because Tennessee now leads the nation in those test results.

"The Tennessee NCLEX average puts the state's nursing graduates in first place, surpassing Oregon, [which] until this year was the long-time NCLEX champion," Stewart said. "We are proud of our nursing graduates at Motlow and of other Tennessee nursing graduates. It is gratifying to teach in a field that is supported by the Motlow administration and other leaders across the state."

Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Vice Chancellor Paula Short said of Tennessee's pass rate, "We owe credit and recognition to our faculty in nursing programs in the TBR system for their extraordinary focus on quality and excellence in the preparation of nursing professionals. We appreciate their hard work and the leadership of the TBR deans and directors of nursing programs and schools."

According to information from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2,682 Tennessee nursing graduates took the exam, with 2,467 achieving passing scores. Of these graduates, 1,341 were graduates of TBR schools. Fifty-one of Motlow's 54 graduates in 2007 passed the test.

TBR is the nation's sixth largest higher education system, governing 45 post-secondary educational institutions. The TBR system includes six universities, 13 two-year colleges and 26 technology centers that provide programs in 90 of Tennessee's 95 counties to more than 180,000 students.