Accreditation?

suzanne4, RN · Jan 22, 2009

Can you be more specific as to what you are trying to do? Majority of programs do not permit one to transfer in the middle of a program. Are you speaking of the LVN training then trying to go onto the RN by using a bridge program?

Are you attending a vocational school or a community college?

So this also makes a difference as to what is required as well. And not all programs that are even open in CA are accepted for licensure here in the first place as well.

llg, PhD, RN · Jan 22, 2009

The State Board of Nursing has standards that a school must meet in order for its students to be eligible to be licensed in that state. Those standards are the bare minimum that a school must meet in order for its graduates to be legally allowed to take the test, get a license, and work as a nurse (LPN or RN) in that state.

A lot of students mistakenly believe that the State Board approval us all that counts -- and/or that it represents the highest level of quality in the education world. That is not correct, as explained in the above paragraph.

Other organizations and agencies provide other sorts of accreditations that reflect the values, scope of service, and standards of each particular organization or agency. Some of those organizations are nationally based and some are regionally based. Some are focused only on nursing. Others focus on all types of education. Some are focused on "vocational" education while others are focused on academic or scholarly education. etc. etc. etc.

Each school has choices about which types of accreditation to seek. They tend to choose organizations that focus on the type of teaching program they wish to provide. For example, a vocational school would seek accreditation from an organization that focuses on vocational education while a university would probably seek accreditation from an organization with a more academic focus.

In nursing, there are 2 major organizations that provide accreditation for schools of nursing -- the NLN and the AACN. The AACN is an organization representing colleges and universities and its standards reflect the values of those in higher education at the college/university level. They do not accredit schools that are not located in a college or university. It is the "gold standard" for BSN programs. The NLN accredits BSN programs, but it also accredits programs that are not located in colleges or universities -- such as diploma programs and/or programs in vocational schools.

Both the NLN and the AACN are nursing organizations and their standard incorporate nursing values and ideals. The vast majority of reputable nursing schools are accredited by one of these two organizations. It's a "seal of approval" that shows that the school has met the standards of the nursing profession that are more rigorous than the minimal standards set by the State Board.

Some schools choose not to seek accreditation from either organization. They are accredited only by the organizations that provide general accreditation for all types of schools. So, they can rightly say that they are "accredited" to provide education and therefore their students are eligible to receive finanancial aid from the government. But that type of accreditation says nothing about the nursing aspects of their program and whether or not it meets nursing standards. Such programs have not been evaluated by a nursing organization except for the minimal assessment done by the State Board. If you graduate from such a school, you will be able to legally practice nursing ... but your education may not be given as much respect when you apply to other schools to further your education. Some hospitals may also question your level of knowledge if they know that your school did not meet the higher standards of the nursing profession. Some schools and some employers will not care one way or the other.

I hope that explains it.

yummycherry05 · Jan 22, 2009

Thank you so much! That was very helpful! My main concern is going to a private nursing school and receiving an ADN but then not being able to further my degree to a BSN or NP later on. I've heard that many degrees earned at private schools end up being difficult to transfer. One of the main schools i'm interested in is up for CCNE accreditation in April, do you know if this is a regional accreditation?

suzanne4, RN · Jan 23, 2009

Best thing and quickest thing to do is to check directly with the BRN and see if the school in on their approved list , or you will not be permitted to even sit for the NCLEX when you are done with it. Unfortunately, we have seen schools spring up that have opened and are not approved by the BRN, but they have students attending that will never be able to do anything with the training that they have taken. There are actually about 5 schools that are open in the LA area that are not approved by the state and their students will not be able to practice in the US anyplace.

Always best to check out any school directly with the BRN for CA, or with the state that they are located in.

llg, PhD, RN · Jan 23, 2009

Thank you so much! That was very helpful! My main concern is going to a private nursing school and receiving an ADN but then not being able to further my degree to a BSN or NP later on. I've heard that many degrees earned at private schools end up being difficult to transfer. One of the main schools i'm interested in is up for CCNE accreditation in April, do you know if this is a regional accreditation?

CCNE is the accreditation arm of the AACN (American Association of Collegiate Nurses). That is the organization I mentioned in my previous post that is the "gold standard" for BSN programs. If your school is CCNE accredited, then that is a very good sign. I am sorry that I didn't use the letters "CCNE" in my previous post.

If you have any questions about any type of accreditation, it's a good idea to ask your school about it ... then look up the name of the agency/organization on the Internet -- and read about what types of programs they survey and look at the list of schools that have accredition from their agency.

Visit the website to read all about the CCNE.

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/accreditation/

Good luck to you!