First let me say I am new to this site and absolutely love it! There sure is a lot to learn from everyone out there!
Anyways, my name is Kelly, and I'm 5 weeks away from starting my CNA class at Healthcare College of California, in Stockton, CA. My goal is to next year, begin an LVN program, as the nursing wait-list at Delta College is just ridiculously long.
My question is: How important is accreditation in LVN programs? And where should they be accredited from? I feel like I'm limited in my area, I don't believe Kaplan College's program is accredited through the National League of Nursing Accreditation Commission, and the Healthcare College of CA says they are "approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE); Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technician (BVNPT) and the Department of Health Services Licensing and Certification."
What do employers look for? What's important?
Thank you so much for you input, and I look forward to talking to more of you all!!!
Ab0903.....Yup, that was the school. I ended up passing on trying to get in because that "Initial Approval" scared me off....I want to bridge to an RN after my LPN and I do not want to have to start from scratch. I never heard back from the Program so I am not sure when accreditation would take place.....altho on another thread someone posted they should be receiving full approval at any time. I just didnt want to take the chance. So I am going to Greater Lowell Tech instead which is also 1/2 the price of MPI (even tho the commute is worse). But MPI is supposedly starting an LPN-RN program so hopefully it will be up and running when I want to apply....good luck with your decisions!!
There were about three things I wanted to comment on...
1. You said you wanted to go on to be an RN. In that case, I would really look for an accredited LPN/LVN program or it's not a very good chance that any of your credits are going to transfer to another school for you to do an LPN-RN program.
2. I don't think you can just blow off accreditation by saying it's "feather in the school's cap". It's more than that. To be accredited these schools have to have higher standards than schools that aren't (not saying at all nonaccredited schools don't have higher standards, just that future employers/colleges know the accredited schools are at least meeting these standards). *edited to add, I know OP didn't make that comment and I wasn't offended by it but I didn't want OP to think accreditation didn't matter either.
3. Another important factor besides accreditation that you need to look for in a program is what their NCLEX pass rate is. There's a popular unaccredited college (but approved by state BONs) that is extremely expensive with a much lower NCLEX pass rate than most accredited programs. Vice versa I'm sure there are some accredited colleges with pass rates that may concern you.
So what if the institution is accredited but no specialize accreditation for the nursing degree that you are going for? I am a college transfer student and was thinking about transferring to Rasmussen College for their Professional Nursing Associates Degree then accelerated my RN to a BSN at another school, but can't seem to understand much about accreditation. I want all my credits to transfer over so I went to their website and this is what they have in their Accreditation webpage "Rasmussen College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.The Rasmussen College Professional Nursing Associate's degree in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Florida is approved by the Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Florida Board of Nursing." Is this going to be a good start for me?
I hear many people using the term accredited so loosely. I know all states are different requirements. Here in S. Fl there are only a few schools that are actually accredited, and many that are approved by the state board. I've come to learn that NLNAC basically means that the school is accredited regionally. Approved means just that, upon completion an higher education doesn't have to except your credits toward your RN.
Someone once told me not to worry about the NLNAC, because as long as it is approved by the state you are fine. But, i'm not so sure if this is the case. The few schools (3to be exact in 2 counties) do have very high past rate and are inexpensive. All the other private and approved schools are expensive and have none or low pass rate.
I have and still do consider the private ones when I get impatient, but I rethink it. At this time in my life I won't continue to make circles with questions of uncertainty. Pay all that money then hope I pass the test, get a job, or possibly able to further my education if I desire to do so.
So between now and then, I'll continue to fight it out until I've passed all the requirements of the accredited school.
sawyer12
117 Posts
Ab0903.....Yup, that was the school. I ended up passing on trying to get in because that "Initial Approval" scared me off....I want to bridge to an RN after my LPN and I do not want to have to start from scratch. I never heard back from the Program so I am not sure when accreditation would take place.....altho on another thread someone posted they should be receiving full approval at any time. I just didnt want to take the chance. So I am going to Greater Lowell Tech instead which is also 1/2 the price of MPI (even tho the commute is worse). But MPI is supposedly starting an LPN-RN program so hopefully it will be up and running when I want to apply....good luck with your decisions!!