NLN Accreditation vs. non-accredited

[blackdog]

I would like to find out how important NLN accreditation is. The director of the nursing program at the technical college near me (let's call it "college A") tells me with grim foreboding in her voice that the program which I have chosen to attend (not hers) is not NLN accredited and this can make it harder on me when looking for employment when I graduate (knock on wood). The director of the program which I am attending at a local community college (let's call this one "college B") tells me that it is no big deal that her program is not accredited and that the only reason why they are not accredited is because they are a small community college and it is too costly. None of this bothered me until I found out with reasonable assurance that the cost of my community college to be NLN accredited would be about $1100- mere chump change compared to the price of textbooks and tuition for one student yet alone a whole community college with an enrollment of about 1000. Who am I to believe? Which program director painted the more accurate, truthful picture? Where I live and the locations of these two colleges as well is rural so the best answer may be affected by this. Are they both just looking at me with dollar signs in their eyes? Any advice or comments would be appreciated. I just don't want to have a handicap while seeking employment. I am presently starting my second semester at the non-NLN accredited school but if I have to start over again next year from square one at the NLN accredited school in order to have better long term employment propects and income, I will.

-Blackdog

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

There are a lot of opinions about NLN or non-NLN schools. The fact of the matter is that when it comes to getting your RN license the only thing that matters is that you attend an RN school that is approved by your state board of nursing. Without that particular approval a school cannot offer an RN nursing program and you cannot sit to take the state board to get your nursing license when you graduate. My understanding was the NLN accreditation only became an issue when a student decides to go on to get a higher degree in nursing. Another university can be picky about admitting students into their NLN accredited university BSN, MSN or PhD programs from non-NLN schools. However, several of my former BSN profs told us one time that even though some schools do require that you graduated from an NLN accredited nursing program as part of their admission into these upper degree programs they don't always follow it--especially when they have a quota of students they need to get a class going.

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

There are a lot of opinions about NLN or non-NLN schools. The fact of the matter is that when it comes to getting your RN license the only thing that matters is that you attend an RN school that is approved by your state board of nursing. Without that particular approval a school cannot offer an RN nursing program and you cannot sit to take the state board to get your nursing license when you graduate. My understanding was the NLN accreditation only became an issue when a student decides to go on to get a higher degree in nursing. Another university can be picky about admitting students into their NLN accredited university BSN, MSN or PhD programs from non-NLN schools. However, several of my former BSN profs told us one time that even though some schools do require that you graduated from an NLN accredited nursing program as part of their admission into these upper degree programs they don't always follow it--especially when they have a quota of students they need to get a class going.

Excellent advice. Please also see:

https://allnurses.com/forums/1449436-post6.html