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My plan is to get an associate's in nursing first, preferrably at a technical school, then move on to RN. When looking into technical schools, what accreditation should I be looking for? Iow, what agency accreditates the school?

I've been working at home in medical transcription for 14 years so I'm completely out of the loop on what's out there and how to go about getting started.

Thanks!

When you say "then move on to RN", do you actually mean "BSN"? Because with an associate degree in nursing you WILL be able to sit the NCLEX to get your RN.

Or do you mean LPN/LVN at a technical or trade school, and then get your RN?

I think this is why no one's answered your question. We can help if you can clarify what you mean for us.

I want to go to a technical school like say Apollo College and graduate with the 2 year Associates. Then yeah, take the NCLEX for RN. On the website they say you can sit for the NCLEX exam after completion, but I'm leary of trusting technical school's claims. That's why I was wondering if there's some sort of accreditation they should have that makes their program "legit" to be qualified to take the exams.

Maybe I'm just being overly cautious. It's just that I once went to a school that wasn't accredited. I only got a certificate of completion and none of the time there counted as college credits.

Thanks for answering.

I want to go to a technical school like say Apollo College and graduate with the 2 year Associates. Then yeah, take the NCLEX for RN. On the website they say you can sit for the NCLEX exam after completion, but I'm leary of trusting technical school's claims. That's why I was wondering if there's some sort of accreditation they should have that makes their program "legit" to be qualified to take the exams.

Maybe I'm just being overly cautious. It's just that I once went to a school that wasn't accredited. I only got a certificate of completion and none of the time there counted as college credits.

Thanks for answering.

OK - to qualify for sitting for the NCLEX, and to be eligible to progress to higher degrees, you need to graduate from a nursing school accredited by NLNAC, the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission. Make sure your school is accredited by these folks. Also, be sure the school you choose is accredited by the appropriate body for higher education in the state it's located in (for example, Duke's SON is accredited by NLNAC, and Duke University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools).

VERY GOOD QUESTION - and you're right to be leery of claims; we've all read horror stories about this.

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Please contact your state Board of Nursing and ask for a list of state-approved nursing education programs that qualify students to sit for NCLEX (the RN licensing exam).

NLN accreditation is desirable, and may be required for candidates who wish to enroll in a BSN completion or MSN program, but it is not required to sit for NCLEX. Because NLN accreditation has become such an expensive and time-consuming process, some very reputable nursing education programs have decided to forgo it. There are other organizations that accredit nursing education programs, including the Commision of Collegiate Nursing Education.

What is required for NCLEX is State Board of Nursing approval of a nursing education program, not NLN accreditation.

There are two national organizations that accredit nursing education programs: The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). While not every nursing school and nursing program is NLNAC or CCNE accredited and a quality nursing education is possible without the mark of distinction, a degree from an institution accredited by one of these organizations ensures that you will be qualified to attend another accredited school of nursing, should you be interested in an advanced degree, for example an RN-to-BSN or Master's degree. Also, some scholarships are only available to students attending accredited nursing programs.

Source: discovernursing.com

Yes, I left off one potential source. I didn't reread what I'd typed and typed too fast. The italics show what's required for higher education.

Thanks Carolinapooh and Jolie - this is exactly the info I was looking for! You've been very helpful!

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