A national nursing advocacy organization has ranked Trinidad State’s Valley Campus Nursing Program sixth out of 28 two-year and four-year college programs in Colorado. Registered Nursing (registerednursing.org) used pass rates from the nationally accepted NCLEX exams for 2014 through 2018 to determine the rankings.

Nursing students are required to take the NCLEX exam before they start work as a registered nurse or practical nurse. Trinidad State offers a two-year Associate in Nursing Degree with a Practical Nursing exit option at its Valley Campus at 1011 Main Street. Trinidad State’s Valley Campus pass rate on NCLEX has been 100 percent for three years in a row.

“We face stiff competition each year, so I am thrilled to be named in the top 10 of this group,” said Trinidad State Interim President Dr. Kerry Hart. “This ranking shows once again that an aspiring health care worker can get a high quality education at a reasonable cost without leaving the Valley.”

Trinidad State employees continue working on an online Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree with a planned launch in the fall of 2020. Last month a team of reviewers from the Higher Learning Commission visited Trinidad State in preparation for accreditation for that program. The preliminary report from the visiting team was very positive.