How important is NLNAC Accreditation?

UVA Grad Nursing · May 28, 2010

It will matter with some employers. Here in my state there are three community colleges that are not NLNAC (and 18 that are accredited). Some local employers will interview those graduates from the non-accredited programs (especially the larger and Magnet hospitals).

A second factor to consider if you intend to go for on for another degree (RN-BSN, RN-MSN, etc). Here in Virginia, there is only 1 RN-BSN program that will admit a graduate of a non-NLNAC program into their degree program; the other 2 dozen universities in Virginia will only accept graduates from accredited programs.

elkpark · May 28, 2010

The accreditation process usually takes a few years. If you graduate from a program while it is actively in the accreditation process and it ends up getting accredited after you graduate, your degree will count as being from an accredited program. However, if "working towards" accreditation means they might apply someday, you will be a graduate of an unaccredited program, even if they eventually do get accredited. You can check the NLNAC list of "candidates" for accreditation and see if your school is listed there --

http://www.nlnac.org/Forms/candidacy.asp

There have been lots of posts here over the years about schools giving v. "slippery" answers to questions about NLNAC or CCNE accreditation. Basically, if the program isn't already NLNAC/CCNE accredited (and, in many cases, I wouldn't just take the school's word for it) or listed as a candidate for accreditation (i.e., already in the accreditation process), it doesn't matter what the school says.

As UVA already noted, accreditation does matter, and will continue to matter throughout your career. You never know when it's suddenly going to make a difference -- just recently there was a thread here posted by someone who had applied for a job for which s/he was well-qualified and v. excited about -- except that, prior to the scheduled interview, s/he re-read the job posting and noticed it said you had to be a graduate of an accredited program, which s/he was not. The VA hospital in my area, which is one of the best employers in the area, only considers graduates of accredited programs. Etc., etc., etc. ... IMHO, there's no rationale or justification these days for attending a non-accredited program -- why close off any future career and educational possibilities to yourself this early in the process?

shesham · May 28, 2010

Thanks for the input. I looked up the college on the NLNAC site and didn't find my school listed. I went ahead and emailed the NLNAC because the school has a news release on their website stating they have received confirmation of candidacy status. The news release is from Nov. 2009 so I don't know if the NLNAC site is updated frequently and the school just isn't listed, so I am hoping someone at the NLNAC can confirm or deny what the college has as their information.

MassED, BSN, RN · May 28, 2010

only go to a school w/ an accredited nursing program.

dorkiexcici · Feb 19, 2013

MassED,

could you please explain why nlnac accrediation is important? i'm from orange county, california.

i'm stuck between applying to pasadena and glendale (both not nlnac accredited) and la county, la harbor, pierce, cerritos (all of those are nlnac accredited)

i want to apply as many schools possible to increase my chance of getting in.

i don't want to regret later on i went to pasadena or glendale because of that.

elkpark · Feb 19, 2013

MassED,
could you please explain why nlnac accrediation is important? i'm from orange county, california.
i'm stuck between applying to pasadena and glendale (both not nlnac accredited) and la county, la harbor, pierce, cerritos (all of those are nlnac accredited)
i want to apply as many schools possible to increase my chance of getting in.
i don't want to regret later on i went to pasadena or glendale because of that.

Did you see the posts above by UVA and me?

Most programs of further education in nursing (BSN completion programs and graduate programs) will only accept graduates of accredited (NLNAC or CCNE) programs.

Also, a growing number of healthcare employers will only hire graduates of accredited programs, including some of the most desirable healthcare employers in the US -- the entire US military, the entire VA system, many academic medical centers, and a growing number of "just regular" hospitals.

You can probably have a long and satisfying career as a graduate of an unaccredited program, but why take the chance? Why close off so many professional opportunities for yourself before you've even started? You never know when it's suddenly, many years from now, going to matter, and you won't be able to do anything about it at that point.