Sherry Lesar School of Nursing Ranked Best in Montana by RegisteredNursing.org

Montana Technological University is ranked #1 on RegisteredNursing.org’s list of the “2024 Best RN Programs in Montana.”

This is the second consecutive year that Montana Tech’s Sherry Lesar School of Nursing tops the list. The rankings are determined by comparing the past five years of first-time pass rates for the NCLEX-RN test, a national licensing exam for registered nurses. Pass rates from the most recent test year are given more weight, and scores from five years ago are given less weight.

“It is such an honor to receive this recognition again,” said Director of Nursing Janet Coe, MSN, RN, CHSE. “It reflects the hard work and dedication of the students, graduates, and alumni of the Sherry Lesar School of Nursing. The nursing faculty and staff consistently share their passion and expertise in nursing and believe in supporting students in their journey here at Montana Tech. In addition, the support from the administration and the entire campus contributes to a high-quality program.”

Montana Tech is the only 4-year public university to make the top five. Carroll College, a private university in Helena, comes in at #2. Helena College, Flathead Valley Community College, and City College of MSU Billings are public 2-year institutions that round out the top five.

The Sherry Lesar School of Nursing is a leading producer of healthcare professionals, and has enjoyed tremendous donor and community support that allows students to access cutting-edge learning tools. In the fall of 2021, the school received an unprecedented gift of $7 million from Dave and Sherry Lesar, and part of the funds were used to construct the Lesar Family Nursing Simulation Center. In May 2022, the university held a grand opening of the approximately 5,000 square feet facility that offers four simulation suites that can flex space to hospital, home, or office settings, debriefing rooms, and telehealth rooms. In addition, the center includes a nurse's station and medication room for student-simulated learning experiences.

Fall 2023 graduate Dylan Skocilich said the Simulation Center provided life-like experiences that helped prepare him for a career in healthcare.

“The mannequins are very realistic,” Skocilich said. “You can feel their pulses and objectively measure their vital signs. It provides a safe and open environment that is fun to learn in. Kathy, Stacy, and the laboratory assistant Dawn put in a lot of work to provide realistic simulation scenarios that have been applicable in practice.”

The Lesar endowed gift also provides student scholarships, professional development opportunities for faculty, leadership training, and advanced degrees.

The Lesar School of Nursing welcomes students from all backgrounds, but also offers special opportunities to Montana high school graduates. The Nursing Scholars Edge Program selects 10 Montana high school seniors annually from a pool of qualified applicants. This direct-entry opportunity allows incoming freshmen to secure clinical spots in the Sherry Lesar School of Nursing. Earning a seat in the clinical program is a highly competitive process for students who don’t have the Nursing Scholars Edge Program advantage.

Program participants get to bypass one of the major hurdles to clinical selection: the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) exam.

The TEAS exam is a test administered to gain admission into the clinical portion of nursing schools. At Montana Tech, your exam score is factored into your application, overall GPA, and grades in certain prerequisites. The TEAS exam is known for being a difficult test, and poor scores can often be a roadblock to clinical placement.

Coe calls the program a monumental opportunity.

"The ability to have direct entry into the clinical portion of a nursing program is a tremendous opportunity for our Montana students,” Coe said. “It awards a prestigious honor for students who clearly understand the professional nurse role, who demonstrate high academic performance, strong work ethic, and leadership. Selection criteria gives students from all Montana communities, large and small, an opportunity to be honored."

Nurses enjoy high salaries and significant demand in Montana and other states across the U.S. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes the median pay for registered nurses in 2022 was $81,220 per year.