Nursing Professors Perform an NCLEX Paperwork Relay

Luke Rettedal '25 graduated just a few weeks ago with his bachelor's degree in nursing. The next stop to being an official registered nurse (RN) was to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), but Rettedal had one last throw to make at the National NAIA Outdoor Track Meet Championships in Marion, Indiana, as a shot putter. 

With two monumental goals in the same timeframe, Rettedal reached out to Natalie Board, Ed.D., assistant professor of nursing, and Kathy Magorian, Ed.D., dean of nursing and health sciences, to see if he could fast-track the NCLEX paperwork process to be able to take his NCLEX exam before he left for nationals. Magorian and Board got to thinking and created an NCLEX Paperwork Relay to hand-deliver Rettedal's paperwork to the South Dakota Board of Nursing (SDBN) administration office in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and avoid the mailing system entirely. 

Magorian started the relay by taking the paperwork from Mount Marty to the Coffee Cup Travel Plaza gas station outside Vermillion. Board met Magorian there to hand off the file. Board then finished the relay and hand-delivered the paperwork to the SDBN office.  That very afternoon, Rettedal was able to register to take the NCLEX exam, and two days later, he completed the exam and passed! 

"Luke is now officially Luke Rettedal, RN," said Board, "and he'll be heading to the national meet with an extra title to be proud of!" 

"Knowing the faculty did everything they could to make sure I had the opportunity to take the NCLEX before nationals show they care about their students and go the extra mile for them," said Rettedal. Rettedal placed tenth in the men's shot put event this last weekend in Indiana. "Going into nationals knowing I was a registered nurse allowed me to feel a huge weight lifted off my shoulders and enjoy the nationals trip to its full extent, not having to manage studying and everything at nationals." 

"We are incredibly proud of Luke and all of our Mount Marty nursing graduates," said Board. "On behalf of the entire Mount Marty nursing faculty, I can confidently say that we are committed to doing whatever it takes to support our students — not only in becoming nurses but in achieving their personal goals as well. We can't wait to see the impact our class of 2025 will make in the world of nursing."

###

About Mount Marty University

Founded in 1936 by the Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery, Mount Marty University is South Dakota's only Catholic, Benedictine institution of higher education. Located along the bluffs of the Missouri River in Yankton, with additional locations in Watertown and Sioux Falls, Mount Marty offers undergraduate and graduate degrees focusing on student and alumni success in high-demand fields such as health sciences, education, criminal justice, business, accounting, recreation management, and more. A community of learners in the Benedictine tradition, Mount Marty emphasizes academic excellence and develops well-rounded students with intellectual competence, professional and personal skills and moral, spiritual and social values. To learn more, visit mountmarty.edu.