Getting BSN in SD and becoming nurse in CA

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 14, 2014

I moved your thread for the best response.

The ACEN is the accrediting national body for nurses. Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing You mixed up the letters.

Without national accreditation your daughter might have difficulty sitting for the NCLEX exam in California. One of the first questions on all BON sites for application for licensure is...graduating from an accredited nursing program. Some states are more particular than others. California is notoriously difficult and have stringent standards. There are many schools with state approval and accreditation and if you stay in those states you are fine. It is when you apply for licensure by endorsement that you can run into problems. Most states are ok with BSN graduates from most programs. It looks like the school is going to fight this tooth and nail....so I would not throw in the towel.

If it was any other state than California...if they win accreditation back and it looks like they will...you are ok. The school site has a place for questions....http://www.presentation.edu/ACENstatus

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Apr 14, 2014

No offense, but if your daughter is old enough to be graduating from a professional college program, she's old enough to be researching the factors applying to her professional licensure herself. Why not let her know you think she's grown-up enough to do this? Why communicate that she's not?

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 14, 2014

No offense, but if your daughter is old enough to be graduating from a professional college program, she's old enough to be researching the factors applying to her professional licensure herself. Why not let her know you think she's grown-up enough to do this? Why communicate that she's not?

Maybe she is and Mom is doing her own.

While I agree with you my dear friend...... when parents are involved and want the best for their kids AND you are paying in some way you want what is best for your child. It is the involved concerned parent who will do their own research so they can best learn how to guide their child.

I know I guide my daughter from a close distance and did plenty of research for the best program....:sofahider

tl44 · Apr 14, 2014

GrnTea, because this is my daughter and her future is at stake. Much less the fact we have spent a considerable amount of money on her first year of college we want to make sure it is not wasted before beginning another year. She is attending meetings with the school and relaying that information. This literally just came up 3 days ago.

She is grown up enough to move out of state from California to South Dakota no less to pursue her degree in nursing. I will do all I can to get whatever information my family needs to make sure we make the right decision concerning her future. Any information she received before attending this college has now seemed to change. She has a full course load and is working 26 hours a week. Sounds grown up to me.

I would appreciate any information you could add to help in our research.

To reiterate as much as I can. The college she is attending just lost there ACEN accreditation. They are appealing that decision, but can not guarantee they will get it back. They say it will not affect students wishing to pursue nursing in South Dakota or Minnesota, but have no information concerning out of state students. FYI 40% of the students are from out of state.

I also worry about the fact that even maybe potential employers in California will require that she graduated from a National Accredited School.

Transferring to another school at this point will be very tough. We did the research on her current college and she was able to get in. A lot of nursing programs have a wait list.

elkpark · Apr 14, 2014

There is no US state that requires ACEN (or CCNE, the other national accrediting organization for nursing programs) accreditation to be eligible for licensure. If that has actually changed (and it would have to be a recent change), I would love for someone to show me some documentation. People keep posting something like that here, and then, when asked, come back and say oh, you're right, I was mistaken, or they just never respond. The CA situation is somewhat complicated by the fact that the CA BRN (and a few other states) uses the term "accreditation" to refer to state BRN approval (which most states do refer to as "approval"), but, if you read the site, it becomes obvious that they are talking about state BON approval/"accreditation," not ACEN or CCNE accreditation. ACEN accreditation is, as you have been correctly told, voluntary on the part of the school, over and above the minimum standards to be approved by the state BON.

On the other hand, many healthcare employers now will only hire graduates of accredited (ACEN or CCNE) programs, and most graduate programs in nursing require you to be a graduate of an accredited program to be eligible for admission. So it is a significant concern. I would certainly not recommend, nowadays, that anyone invest time or money in an unaccredited program (however, people who graduate from unaccredited programs can and do have long, successful careers). But, if OP's daughter has only finished her first year of school, there is plenty of time to see how the ACEN appeal works out before making a big decision like transferring to another school.

On the third hand :), I agree with GreenTea. If she's mature and smart enough to become an RN, she's mature and smart enough to figure this stuff out herself.

BTW, re: the "returning home to CA to work" plan, CA is currently (and has been for some time, because it's such a popular state) one of the worst states in the US for new graduate (nurses) employment. You all should be aware it might be difficult for her to get a job in CA when she graduates, regardless.

Best wishes!

CaliRN619 · Apr 15, 2014

Hi tl44,

I just wanted to add to the current state of jobs for new grads. In most of the major US cities: SF, LA, NYC, Seattle, etc. jobs for new grads in the HOSPITAL are extremely competitive and very difficult to acquire because they often only hire new grads in "residency/new grad programs". With the number of new grad nurses being pumped out now a days and the limited number of positions in the new grad programs, finding a HOSPITAL job will be very challenging.

CALIFORNIA: I would say at the minimum a new grad needs to have a BSN to have a much better shot at HOSPITAL job, this is especially true in the state of CA. There is a much better shot of getting into a new grad program for hospitals that are not in the major cities of CA, essentially less desirable cities such as: Bakersfield, Oxnard, etc. (many of the "agricultural cities"). Those students who have completed clinical hours at the hospitals that they are applying for have an advantage to getting into the new grad programs of that hospital because the staff is familiar with them.

CALIFORNIA ALTERNATIVES to HOSPITAL jobs: From my own personal experience I found the world of long-term care as my intro into nursing because of the saturated HOSPITAL market for new grads. It took me almost 2yrs to land a HOSPITAL job in one the hardest markets for new grads, Bay area. Other non-hospital jobs for new grads: clinics, homecare, school nursing, vaccinations, etc.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 15, 2014

One thing to keep in mind about California: even when applying for endorsement (that is, your daughter gets her RN license in South Dakota first and then applies to the CA Board of Nursing for a license), the Board of Nursing is still going to evaluate your daughter's education to make sure it meets their requirements. It's not so much its accreditation, as it is whether the program meets CA's theory/clinical requirements. The fact that your daughter's program didn't get accredited suggests that it could be missing something significant...and what's missing may also be something that California will require.

Getting a license in another state first doesn't mean that the CA BRN will automatically rubberstamp your application and license you. Just ask any Excelsior ADN student or many a foreign grad.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 15, 2014

Also, as someone who works in California, I will second the statement that the job market is very bad for new nurses. The only advantage your daughter would have if she returned home to search for a new grad job is the free room and board while she searches.

She'd do better to sort our her school issues, get licensed and gain a year or two of experience out of state before returning. In fact, that's what a good number of CA graduates are doing themselves: leaving California to get that first nursing job, because they just can't get hired here.

Best of luck whatever she decided.

mclennan, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2014

I'm also speaking up as a CA RN. This is by far thee WORST state in the country for new grads - heck, even experienced nurses who live here, were born here, with CA licensure of many years, with BSNs and bells and whistles are having trouble finding work.

The CA Board of Nursing is notorious for a) never answering their phones and b) making it as difficult as possible and/or denying licensure or endorsement to as many out of state graduate/out of state resident/foreign/immigrant nurses as possible. Gazillions of people want to live in CA and the market everywhere - not just here - is horrible for new grad nurses.

I sit on a hiring panel for my company and we commonly get 700-800 resumes for one open position. Look around this board and you will see new grads who have not found work after a year or more past graduation/licensure.

I'm sorry to have to bring down the hammer of truth, but things really are that bleak for new nurses, and will be for some time.

Her best bet? Change majors. Or brace herself to gain some experience for a few years earning peanuts working nursing homes in rural areas before even thinking about any hospital in any major city in CA. Them's the breaks. I tell anyone right now who is interested in pursuing nursing to pick something else entirely. It's really ugly these days.

RunBabyRN · Apr 23, 2014

These guys have covered a lot of it.

The only thing I will add to what's been said about the job market is that most nurse managers like to hire people they've seen in clinicals or residency programs. She COULD apply to one of the residency programs for new grads when she graduates (for example, I know Sonoma State is offering one this coming summer, and the hire rate is extremely good- 100% last year). The job offer I have for when I graduate is from a nurse manager who saw me in clinicals and offered to line up my preceptorship, which was basically a 180 hour interview. Most jobs in CA are obtained through people you know and connections you make in clinicals. By going to school out of state, your daughter won't be able to make these connections. The advice that was given about her getting at least 1-2 years of experience where she is is VERY good. Most positions require that in order to be eligible for application, and new grads are finding it nearly impossible to find work right now, especially in the major metro areas (SF, LA, SD, maybe Sac).

Keep trying with the BRN (they'll likely want to speak with her directly, as she can probably answer specific questions better), but yes, they're notoriously difficult to work with, and will find ANY excuse not to license someone in CA. Many programs (like the aforementioned Excelsior) are not accepted for licensure in CA.

cnatolpntorn2 · Jan 4, 2017

Hey did your daughter end up graduating from Presentation College? I am starting my first semester and want to talk to someone. I am wondering how the program is, what to expect, and any tips one might have.

Thanks