I was accepted to Brandman, but...

Nursing Students Post Graduate

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I just found out that I was accepted to Brandman University (Irvine, CA) to start next month their BSN to DNP program.

Here's my situation: I am from MN. I didn't realize until I was applying to grad school that MN is very particular about where students can get nursing degrees from. Apparently, something had changed within the past 2-3 years, but I wasn't sure what. I had been denied by EKU but they couldn't tell me specifically why they weren't taking students from MN, either. I even called the MN Board of Nursing, and was told they don't regulate graduate level programs.

I had applied to Brandman months ago, and was scheduled for an interview earlier this week. I decided to email the MN Board of Nursing and, after a little research, sent the email directly to the person who oversees regulation of educational programs. She wrote back, replying that in order for a nursing program, graduate or undergrad, to accept a MN student, every one of their faculty must be licensed in MN! Apparently, it used to be that only the clinical faculty had to be licensed in MN (which Brandman's Dean of Nursing is), but as of 2013 the Nurse Practice Act in MN changed so that every faculty has to be licensed in MN now.

So, I forwarded this email from the MN BON to Brandman, and when the program coordinator called me for the interview yesterday, she said she felt it would be unfair to move forward with the admission process until Brandman figured the situation out. Today, my advisor emailed me telling me that the Dean had accepted my application, and also this:

"If there were a requirement that needed additional faculty to be licensed, [the Dean] said they would make sure that was taken care of. They work out each situation as it arises and would commit to making sure it worked for you. [The Dean] sent forward your acceptance to the program today. That means you will get a letter in about a week."

So, do I accept and hope that Brandman will license all their faculty appropriately? Or, do I wait and see if I am accepted to one of the local schools I applied to? I have considered selling my house and uprooting my family if need be, so I was thinking about starting at Brandman and then transferring to a local school if I get in. Otherwise, Plan B is to move across the country. Does this make sense? I need advice! Thank you in advance!

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In order to be approved as an educational program in Minnesota, all instructors must be licensed in Minnesota. It's a requirement for Minnesota schools. If you go to a school in another state, the school has to abide by that state's requirements. Or are you referring to something else?

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/?id=6301&version=2014-04-10T15:00:42-05:00&format=pdf

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Yes, I realize this now that I have heard from the BON this week. My question is, should I rely on my adviser at Brandman's word that it "will be taken care of" and license all of the faculty that would be teaching me with a MN endorsement, or should I just forget about Brandman all together and try to go elsewhere? Or should I start at Brandman, hope I get in locally, but then move to California to finish at Brandman if I don't get accepted locally?

I am looking for advice because I would love to earn my DNP but MN is making it harder than many other states to get the DNP degree (yet we are critically short of psych DNPs here...no wonder why!)

I was really surprised when the program coordinator of the psych track called to tell me she was letting their legal department figure it out, then 24 hours later I get an email saying that the Dean had talked to the program coordinator and approved me. I guess I have a few more questions for them on Monday, such as what exactly they mean by "making sure everything is taken care of" and "doing what they need to do to make sure this works for me", as I referenced in my original post.

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While I do not think that anybody is planning on letting you down in this situation, I think it would be easier all the way around to attend one of the local programs. Then, no added worry to add to your already full plate. Good luck.

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While I do not think that anybody is planning on letting you down in this situation, I think it would be easier all the way around to attend one of the local programs. Then, no added worry to add to your already full plate. Good luck.

I agree with you, but what if I don't get into one of the local programs? They are extremely competetive because there are only 2 in the entire state of MN for psych, and the acceptance rate is pretty low due to the amount of people who apply.

That's why I was hoping to at least start at Brandman, to get my foot in the door there in case I don't get accepted locally. It would be much easier to do it locally, but I don't know how high my chances are of being accepted locally. So, that is the bind I'm in...

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Are there any programs in bordering states, where it might be more practical for faculty to maintain MN licensure due to student demographics?

Unrelated: I lived in MN while I was pursuing my first undergrad degree. I loved it there!

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