Northern Marianas College nursing graduates Rachelle Ann Manlapaz, Abbas Shakir, Keejooh Koh, and Angelo Tristan Montes have joined the long list of NMC students who have passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses or NCLEX-RN.
Nursing graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN to be able to practice nursing. The exam tests the knowledge, skills, and abilities of nursing graduates in order to certify that they are capable of applying entry level nursing practices correctly.
“I want to congratulate Rachelle, Abbas, Keejooh, and Angelo on becoming the latest graduates to pass this difficult exam and look forward to hearing more about their success as medical professionals,” Acting President Frankie Eliptico said.
NMC Nursing Department Chair Rosa Aldan also congratulated the four on their achievements.
“Our nursing graduates continue to achieve great things, and Rachelle, Abbas, Keejooh, and Angelo are great examples of those achievements," Aldan said. "We are so proud of their amazing accomplishment and wish them all the best!”
Rachelle Ann Manlapaz, a 2023 NMC nursing graduate, draws motivation for a career in the medical field from a time in her life where she was able to witness the selfless work that nurses do.
“I wanted to become a nurse because there was a period in my life when my dad was frequently at the hospital - be it during his dialysis sessions or when he got really ill, till he passed away, and the nurses were always there to care for him,” she shared.
Manlapaz is thankful for her family, friends, peers, and instructors, as they have supported and contributed to her successful passage of the NCLEX. She also acknowledged the preparation that NMC has provided for her by developing her critical thinking skills through resources such as the Kaplan, I-Human case studies, clinical rotations, and lectures.
Abbas Shakir is a 2023 NMC nursing graduate who gained inspiration to pursue this field from his father.
“My motivation for pursuing a nursing degree revolved around being with my dad throughout his medical journey,” he said. “That single experience heavily inspired me to pursue a career in the medical field and I figured that nursing would be the perfect start for me.”
Shakir explained how NMC had prepared him well for the exam with resources such as iHuman and the Kaplan RN program.
He added, “I also am very appreciative to all the faculty and staff who put a lot of time and effort into teaching us and guiding us throughout every step of the way.”
Keejoon Koh, a classmate of both Shakir and Manlapaz, gained motivation for pursuing his nursing degree because of the financial stability and career opportunities it creates.
Koh found that the Med-Surg III greatly beneficial in preparing him for the exam, stating that it felt similar to the NCLEX.
Angelo Tristan Montes, a class of 2022 NMC nursing graduate, highlights his mother, brother, and family as his motivation for pursuing a nursing degree.
He expressed how his instructors and peers were an immense form of support throughout his journey to pass the exam. “They made sure I had the right resources and methods necessary to take the NCLEX,” he said.
Furthermore, Montes underscored the role that NMC had in preparing him and his classmates for the exam, explaining how his instructors taught a lot of testing-skills along with strategic ways of answering the exams. He noted, “NCLEX is a very tricky exam and I’m very grateful to my instructors for providing us with plenty of information on how to tackle this exam.”