Bridge Program vs. RN Program

Nursing Students General Students

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Hello all,

I'm thinking about applying to Keiser University in Lakeland to get my RN and then transition into there BSN program. They are fully accredited by SACS and ACNE (formerly CCNE), it will only take me 16mos, and I can start in August. The only thing that concerns me, it's not a bridge program. I'm currently an LPN and I have all my pre-req's complete but I do not won't to wait and waste 1.5 year to get accepted into a community college and the other schools that offer bridge programs are not fully accredited. My goal is to get my BSN. Should I just attend Keiser University or should I attend another school that offers the bridge program but not fully accredited?

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Specializes in ER.

Are you going to complete your RN and then transition into their BSN program or are you going to go straight for your BSN?

CCNE does not accredit diploma, certificate (like post-masters certificate), or associate degree programs. So no associate degree or diploma program is accredited by the CCNE including Keiser. Their BSN and MSN programs would be accredited if they say it is if they offer those. I've never heard of SACS so I don't know what that is. So if I understand you right that you will be completing an RN program and then transitioning into the BSN program, then the RN portion of the program is not CCNE accredited and only the BSN portion of it is.

For any program lower than bachelors, you want to look for NLNAC accreditation. Even if you are 100% sure you are going to go into their BSN program, something may happen that will change your mind. Then you will run into issues if you find a RN to BSN program that is a lot cheaper as they usually require NLNAC accreditation for those programs outside of the RN to BSN's home state.

Like my associate degree school was accredited by NLNAC and my state board. They had partnerships formed with a bunch of schools including Ohio University, but because it was NLNAC accredited, I could enroll in dozens of RN to BSN programs like University of Louisiana Lafayette or others.

The CCNE does not accredit associate degree or lower programs so keep that in mind. Associate or diploma programs should have articulation agreements in place with most popular universities for RN to BSN or they need to have NLNAC accreditation in place if you plan on continuing.

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Thanks! SACS is Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission and Colleges is the regional body for the accreditation of degree granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. Website is sacscoc.org

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