Have you heard of a school losing accreditation?

caliotter3 · Jul 5, 2010

I wouldn't worry about getting hired, but you do not know now that you would not want to attend higher education in the future where accreditation of a previous program would be required. To be on the safe side, I would stick with an accredited program.

RubyRN,CHPN · Jul 5, 2010

I agree with Caliotter. I'm not exactly certain but I understand may affect the transferability of your credits should you chose a BSN or graduate program as well. Stick with the school with accredidation and ask what there NCLEX pass rates are for first time test takers.

Ted D · Jul 5, 2010

I wouldn't worry about getting hired, but you do not know now that you would not want to attend higher education in the future where accreditation of a previous program would be required. To be on the safe side, I would stick with an accredited program.

Well as of right now, it is accredited through the CCNE, but it does not look like it is on the list of NLNAC. What does that mean in terms of options for graduate school elsewhere? Is that something to be concerned about that it's not accredited by the NLNAC?

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 5, 2010

CCNE and NLNAC are and "either-or" situation. No school has both.

CCNE accredits BSN programs and graduate level programs.

NLN accredits programs at the BSN level and lower (ADN, Diploma, and LPN).

Ted D · Jul 5, 2010

CCNE and NLNAC are and "either-or" situation. No school has both.
CCNE accredits BSN programs and graduate level programs.
NLN accredits programs at the BSN level and lower (ADN, Diploma, and LPN).

Thanks for clarifying that. The school I am planning on going to next month has CCNE accreditation until 2013. It is a fairly new program though and and NCLEX pass rates are low (60%). How dangerous a decision is it to attend this BSN program?

I also do not plan on staying in the state once I pass the NCLEX, so I'm a bit concerned about how reciprocity for other states would work in this situation. :uhoh3: Ugh too much to worry about it and I haven't even started yet.

elkpark · Jul 5, 2010

I also do not plan on staying in the state once I pass the NCLEX, so I'm a bit concerned about how reciprocity for other states would work in this situation. Ugh too much to worry about it and I haven't even started yet.

No state requires accreditation (NLNAC or CCNE) for basic licensure, just state BON approval -- so the accreditation of your program shouldn't affect your ability to get licensed in other states, as long as it has state BON approval and is equivalent to the program requirements in other states.

sparklie.lady · Jul 6, 2010

This is just my opinion, I have no facts to back it up, but...

ASBN programs are HARD. Let me tell you, I wonder at least weekly if I should have done a regular program, but I figured most of the hospitals in this area want BSNs so I might as well do it and get it over with. (Not that the RN programs aren't as rigorous, you just have more than 15 months to learn it all!).

We all pass the same NCLEX, though, and if a school hasn't figured out how to prepare 40% of its students to pass, then I would RUN from that program. That kind of fail rate is not from individual failure--it's systematic. The school doesn't know what they're doing. And you sure as salmon don't want to waste the time and $$ and not have been taught the basic fundamentals to get your license.

My 2 cents.

Good luck!

Ted D · Jul 6, 2010

No state requires accreditation (NLNAC or CCNE) for basic licensure, just state BON approval -- so the accreditation of your program shouldn't affect your ability to get licensed in other states, as long as it has state BON approval and is equivalent to the program requirements in other states.

I guess that's what I'm concerned about then. The school only has "conditional" approval by the state board after the poor pass rate this year.

What happens if I pass the NCLEX, apply for reciprocity in another state, then several years down the road the school loses state BON approval?

elkpark · Jul 6, 2010

I guess that's what I'm concerned about then. The school only has "conditional" approval by the state board after the poor pass rate this year.
What happens if I pass the NCLEX, apply for reciprocity in another state, then several years down the road the school loses state BON approval?

Ahhhh, I see we got sidetracked on the "accreditation" issue and I failed to read your OP closely enough. AFAIK, as long as the program is approved when you graduate, any change in the school's status in the future wouldn't affect you at all. Also, there have been a few schools in my state that have been on the verge of losing their state approval for years at a time but never actually did -- in my state, at least, the process of being given the opportunity to identify and fix the problems takes a looooong time, and I'll bet it works that way in most states. There is a lot of pressure on BONs, from many corners, to not close down nursing schools -- much more, frankly, than there is to close inadequate, low-performing programs (I'm not suggesting that your program is one of those, just that, even when that's the case, those schools rarely get closed).

Lots of schools have their pass rates slip (or plummet :)) at one time or another, get put on probation by the BON, and then address the issues, turn the situation around, and go on their way without every losing their BON approval (or the students suffering any negative consequences). It's just that most people, even within nursing, are never aware of this until they're attached somehow to a school in this situation, and then it seems (understandably) like a huge, scary crisis.

Best wishes!

Streamline2010 · Jul 6, 2010

Thanks for all the replies. I was wondering the same. One program in a location I would have really liked to move to was in some kind of probation and improvement plan for it's accreditation, and had a low NCLEX rate, and I didn't understand what all of the problems were, so I passed it by.

Ted D · Jul 6, 2010

Ahhhh, I see we got sidetracked on the "accreditation" issue and I failed to read your OP closely enough. AFAIK, as long as the program is approved when you graduate, any change in the school's status in the future wouldn't affect you at all. Also, there have been a few schools in my state that have been on the verge of losing their state approval for years at a time but never actually did -- in my state, at least, the process of being given the opportunity to identify and fix the problems takes a looooong time, and I'll bet it works that way in most states. There is a lot of pressure on BONs, from many corners, to not close down nursing schools -- much more, frankly, than there is to close inadequate, low-performing programs (I'm not suggesting that your program is one of those, just that, even when that's the case, those schools rarely get closed).
Lots of schools have their pass rates slip (or plummet :)) at one time or another, get put on probation by the BON, and then address the issues, turn the situation around, and go on their way without every losing their BON approval (or the students suffering any negative consequences). It's just that most people, even within nursing, are never aware of this until they're attached somehow to a school in this situation, and then it seems (understandably) like a huge, scary crisis.
Best wishes!

Thank you, that makes me feel a lot better about attending. But just to be clear, you don't think a change in the school's state approval AFTER I graduate would affect my ability to get into another school for graduate studies?