By Melissa Boyd (Whetstone Staff Writer)

The nursing program has raised it standards.

Starting this fall, students will be required to pass the Health Maintenance and Restoration III (NR 313) final exam with a score of 80 percent, rather than the 74 percent required this semester.

The course’s final exam is included in the Natural League of Nursing (NLN) package.

“We demanded a higher standard,” said Bob Contino, head of the nursing department.

The test is given as the final exam of a three-semester class. Students see the test two times before the final semester, and are expected to score an 80 percent because of this.

The requirement for the NLN PAXRN, the test that all students who apply to the Wesley nursing program have to take, has been raised to a 115 from a 107.

It’s to correlate to the success that the program has, Contino said.

“We’re trying to raise the quality of the program,” he said. “A better program means better students, and better students means a better institution.”

Before the change in the grading policy, an 80 percent was a C, but beginning in the fall, will be a B.

A score of 80 percent or higher will be required on all testable material, as well as a 90 on the math for meds exam, which is given the first week of school.

Students were made aware of this change by the syllabus, and by signing a form last December to acknowledge the change.

The school’s nursing staff debated increasing the “Math for Meds” requirement to 100 percent, after increasing it from an 80 to 90 three years ago.

A 90 percent on this exam means that 10 percent of medications prescribed have mathematical errors in dosage count, Contino said.

Wesley chose to keep the score at 90, however, to align with BayHealth Medical facilities’ requirements.

This test is required for students to participate in clinical trials, and may be taken up to three times.