The U.S. is bracing for a significant nursing shortage with projections estimating a shortfall of more than 78,000 registered nurses by the end of 2025. As colleges and universities look to meet this moment, they’re grappling with a dual challenge: graduating more nursing students, and ensuring they’re ready for the demands of licensure and clinical practice.
The Problem: Structural and Academic Barriers in Nursing Education
Even before students enter the workforce, they face barriers to licensure. National NCLEX-RN pass rates have fallen sharply, dropping to 79.9% in 2022—a steep decline from pre-pandemic levels. In states like Florida, the outlook is even more concerning: the first-time pass rate dipped to just 73% in 2023, falling below national benchmarks.
These aren’t just numbers. They represent students who’ve completed nursing programs but are unable to enter the workforce, delaying their careers and deepening an already critical talent shortage.
The Solution: Scalable, Peer Academic Support
Research continues to show that peer tutoring enhances academic performance, confidence, and critical interpersonal skills. For nursing students, these skills are not optional—they’re essential to success in both licensure exams and real-world clinical environments.
NCLEX-style peer reviews help students engage earlier with exam-level content, creating more frequent, low-pressure opportunities for mastery. Perhaps even more powerful is the cultural shift peer tutoring fosters: students no longer view tutoring as a last resort, but as a normalized, collaborative part of their learning experience.
What It Looks Like in Action: USF College of Nursing
At the University of South Florida College of Nursing, this shift is already underway. In 2022, USF partnered with Knack to expand access to peer academic support. The results have been remarkable:
- 354% increase in tutoring sessions completed
- 73% of sessions held outside traditional hours
- 11% increase in NCLEX first-time pass rate
“Knack’s peer tutoring model has given our students the tools they need to succeed—whether it’s strengthening their grasp on complex material, improving NCLEX performance, or building confidence in their abilities to successfully transition to their nursing career.”
— Elizabeth Jordan, Senior Associate Dean of Student Success, USF Nursing
Why It Matters
Scaling peer support in nursing education doesn’t just benefit students. It creates a ripple effect: accelerating licensure readiness, relieving overburdened faculty, and addressing workforce shortages with urgency and intention.
This is what Knack is built for. Empowering institutions to support more students with less administrative lift, while creating future-ready nurses who are confident, connected, and clinically prepared.
Want to learn more about how peer tutoring can help scale academic support in nursing education? Download our recent white paper.
