Do I have to attend another school if my school loses accreditation but I already took my RN boards?

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Dear Passed,

Luck was on your side, my friend. You graduated, sat for your boards, passed your boards, and are now licensed.

(Note added after publication: I'm assuming you received your license ? Or are you saying they are withholding your license? If they are withholding your license, you do have a problem and may need to see an attorney).

If your nursing school had lost its accreditation before you completed your studies, you would not have been eligible to receive your authorization to test (ATT). There are horror stories of devastated students who are left with nothing because their school lost accreditation, some just weeks before graduation. 

Lucky for you, the timing worked in your favor.

The NY BON approved your school at the time you applied for testing and they can't go backwards.

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

[londonflo]

These are the following schools currently under review by NYS BON and it DOES NOT matter if you passed NCLEX or not!

• Palm Beach School of Nursing
• Siena Educational Center 
• Siena College of Health 
• Hosanna College of Health 
• Sacred Heart International 
• Techni-Pro Institute
• Carleen Health Institute -All Carleen locations are now on hold for education review.
• Azure College
• Med-Life Institute 
• QUISQUEYA HEALTH CARE ACADEMY 
• QUISQUEYA SCHOOL OF NURSING 
• SUNSHINE ACADEMY
• IDEAL PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTE, INC. 
• Florida Coll of Hlth Sci
• Revelation University 
• JAY COLLEGE OF HEALTH LLC 
• SACRED HEART INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE INC. 

The owners of these school below are under federal investigation for selling fake transcripts and degrees to people who never actually attended the school

• Palm Beach School of Nursing
• Siena Educational Center 
• Siena College of Health 

PASSING NCLEX-RN  is only one step in the educational process. An educated nurse will demonstrate safety, professional care while a student. There are NO shortcuts to professional nursing education. Some schools WILL embed shortcuts in their programs, with minimal faculty, clinical experiences and more to save money.

[londonflo]

I am totally confused. We have people here who passed boards who went to Florida schools....(Carleen's etc.) They HAVE taken and passed boards I think the last post I read about this was: 

https://allnurses.com/nybon-nursing-school-under-investigation-t742331/

NYBON. 

[londonflo]

Nurse Beth said:

Anyway, we both agree higher, consistent standards are needed. 

There may be a solution in the near future that will cause some of these poorly performing schools to close. A couple of years ago Florida Nurse practice Act was amended to include this:

The 2022 Florida Statutes (including Special Session A)

Quote

 ACCREDITATION REQUIRED.—

(a) A nursing education program that prepares students for the practice of professional nursing, that was approved under this section before July 1, 2014, and that enrolled students before July 1, 2014, must become an accredited program by July 1, 2019.

(b) A nursing education program that prepares students for the practice of professional nursing and that was approved under this section before July 1, 2014, but did not enroll students before that date, must become an accredited program within 5 years after the date of enrolling the program's first students.

(c) A nursing education program that prepares students for the practice of professional nursing and that is approved under this section after June 30, 2014, must become an accredited program within 5 years after the date of enrolling the program's first students.

(d) This subsection does not apply to a nursing education program provided by an institution that is exempt from licensure by the Commission for Independent Education under s. 1005.06(1)(e).

(e) A nursing education program that fails to meet the accreditation requirements shall be terminated and is ineligible for reapproval under its original name or a new program name for a minimum of 3 years after the date of termination. An institutional name change or the creation of a new educational institution with the same ownership does not reduce the waiting period for reapplication.

(f) An approved nursing education program may, no sooner than 90 days before the deadline for meeting the accreditation requirements of this subsection, apply to the board for an extension of the accreditation deadline for a period which does not exceed 2 years. An additional extension may not be granted. In order to be eligible for the extension, the approved program must establish that it has a graduate passage rate of 60 percent or higher on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Examination for the most recent calendar year and must meet a majority of the board's additional criteria, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

1. A student retention rate of 60 percent or higher for the most recent calendar year.

2. A graduate work placement rate of 70 percent or higher for the most recent calendar year.

3. The program has applied for approval or been approved by an institutional or programmatic accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education.

4. The program is in full compliance with subsections (1) and (3) and paragraph (5)(b).

5. The program is not currently in its second year of probationary status under subsection (5).

The definition of accrediting body is: For a program's accreditation status, the specialized accrediting agencies that are nationally recognized by the United States Secretary of Education to accredit nursing education programs.

Now, I am not conversant in legalese but I hope this means a school/college has to be CCNE or ACEN.

[Mergirlc, MSN, APRN, NP]

3 hours ago, londonflo said:

PASSING NCLEX-RN  is only one step in the educational process. An educated nurse will demonstrate safety, professional care while a student. There are NO shortcuts to professional nursing education. Some schools WILL embed shortcuts in their programs, with minimal faculty, clinical experiences and more to save money..

Geeze...there must be a nursing school on every block in the state of Florida!! ? ? ?

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

londonflo, I'm thinking from the other thread that perhaps they were seeking license endorsement to NY and were refused because of the questionable school they attended in Florida. 

It's not easy for me to completely understand the previous thread. Anyway, we both agree higher, consistent standards are needed. 

[londonflo]

Mergirlc said:

Geeze...there must be a nursing school on every block in the state of Florida!! ? ?  ?

You are so right!

For Florida, for example..to open an RN SON, you only need a  Dean/Director onboard 30 days developing and establishing the school....get faculty, get skills lab equipment and teaching others how to use it  and get clinical sites that are concurrent with what the students are learning (or learning on their own), 

I can't speak for all states, but my state requirement requires the Director most be in place for at least one year (BEFORE THEY OPEN THE DOOR)  Why?  Obtaining Clinical affiliations are difficult when you want students to apply what they are learning in lecture.  Also the hospital HAS to respect the educational role versus free labor.    The Dean fills out endless grant forms to obtain program-specific equipment (setting up a skills lab) , A school cannot run without  faculty with educational experiences , skill, and clinical  experience.   

[Mergirlc, MSN, APRN, NP]

6 hours ago, londonflo said:

You are so right!

 For Florida, for example..to open an RN SON, you only need a  Dean/Director onboard 30 days developing and establishing the school....get faculty, get skills lab equipment and teaching others how to use it  and get clinical sites that are concurrent with what the students are learning (or learning on their own), 

 I can't speak for all states, but my state requirement requires the Director most be in place for at least one year (BEFORE THEY OPEN THE DOOR)  Why?  Obtaining Clinical affiliations are difficult when you want students to apply what they are learning in lecture.  Also the hospital HAS to respect the educational role versus free labor.    The Dean fills out endless grant forms to obtain program-specific equipment (setting up a skills lab) , A school cannot run without  faculty with educational experiences , skill, and clinical  experience.   

Thanks for explaining.  I always see posts from various students in Florida and it always seems there's something amiss such as not being able to take NCLEX due to deficiencies or some other issue. And that's if the school is still in business because I've seen a lot of posts about school closures and it leaves the students no recourse.

30 days to develop and establish a school.  That's insanity!  It's unfortunate the Florida BON doesn't keep a more watchful eye on these types of diploma mills. 

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Mergirlc said:

30 days to develop and establish a school.  That's insanity!  It's unfortunate the Florida BON doesn't keep a more watchful eye on these types of diploma mills.

Many of them are just new fronts for the old ones that have been shut down.

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Rose_Queen said:

well. many of them are just new fronts for the old ones that have been shut down.

It's really a travesty that they take advantage of people who want to better themselves.

[londonflo]

On 7/17/2022 at 1:58 PM, Nurse Beth said:

Luck was on your side, my friend.

 Nurse Beth...I always admire your ability to communicate accurately and succinctly, . But however No there was no luck here for the poster..

On 7/17/2022 at 1:58 PM, Nurse Beth said:

Or are you saying they are withholding your license? If they are withholding your license, you do have a problem and may need to see an attorney).

Yes they are probably withholding the license because the school did not deliver (or only delivered to "teach to the test". ) In Florida a RN nursing program can still continue to operate, advertise, collect tuition $$ until the NCLEX pass rate is below 10% of the national pass rate for 3 consecutive years (and then the honeymoon period of trying to improve the program)  For example, if the national pass rate is 81%, the school isn't even on the Florida DOE radar until the school pass rate is 72%.

Beth, I totally respect you and your opinions but you need to revise, apologize and defer your response to someone who knows professional education not just amend an erroneous opinion.  

So glad New York State caught on.!! I truly hope that all states will catch on!

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Londonflo- I have this feeling we are misunderstanding each other, or  I'm missing something. Maybe you can help me understand.

I understand Florida has a poor track record of for-profit nursing schools. But those students were never authorized to test (ATT), therefore never took the the NCLEX. Different situation.

The poster is from New York, not Florida. She was approved by the New York State Education Department  to test, issued an ATT through Pearson VUE, took the NCLEX, and passed.  Presumably, as that is the process.

School records (hence schools, clinicals, curriculum) should be approved before ATTs are issued. This is so that only applicants who received the required education are eligible to test. If NY comes in after the fact and denies this applicant her license, shame on them.