IUON

londonrocks09 · Mar 9, 2010

Hi, I am a current student at IUON I've been in st. kitt's now for 8 months. Yes the school has improved. I was very skeptical at first too and waited a year before I finally decided to make the big step and travel down to St. Kitt's. This is a great option for people (like me) who couldn't get into a US school. The education is great, MOST of the teachers are amazing and very helpful. The school itself is all that the videos show it as. There is some negative aspects of the school, some of which I discovered before I came down such as the disorganization, other negative aspects I discovered after I got down to st. kitt's. St. Kitt's is a developing country and all products are shipped, food and housing are expensive and the hospital is... "third world." For me the positives of the school outweigh any of the negatives, the biggest positive is that this is my chance to become a nurse. I would first check out all other options before making the decision that this is the school you want to go to. I would say though that IUON offers a good education and I'm happy that I decided to come down. Let me know any questions that you have, I would be happy to answer any questions that you have.

carriest · Mar 9, 2010

I just recently found out that a lot of states do not recognize this school as being accredited. Is this true? I looked on the nursing boards website of both california and oregon and BOTH do not recognize this program. It says that if you work in these states with this degree it is actually a misdemeanor. Now, I do not know if this is true or not. I just want some clarification on this information. Thanks for talking to me.

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2010

I just recently found out that a lot of states do not recognize this school as being accredited. Is this true? I looked on the nursing boards website of both california and oregon and BOTH do not recognize this program. It says that if you work in these states with this degree it is actually a misdemeanor. Now, I do not know if this is true or not. I just want some clarification on this information. Thanks for talking to me.

Where specifically on the website does it state something regarding a misdemeanor?

londonrocks09 · Mar 9, 2010

It is true that the school is not recognized because it is not an accredited US school. That is why after a year at IUON you transfer to an accredited US school and receive a degree from the school in the states. All the partner schools that IUON transfers to are accredited. You are right, IUON itself is not accredited, but thanks to the loop hole with the US school you are able to take your boards.

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2010

Well if you read on the CA BRN website it clearly states that if you do any part of your education from a school that's not accredited then you wont be granted permission to sit for the NCLEX-RN. It says operating within CA, but you can just imagine if it's operating outside of CA.

http://www.rn.ca.gov/pdfs/schools/unaccredited.pdf

londonrocks09 · Mar 9, 2010

A big majority of the students are from California, I know they all called the board of nursing before hand to check to make sure that the school was legit. When I called to talk to the board in my state they stated that as long as you graduate from an accredited school you are able to take the boards. I know students who went to school at IUON, graduated from a US school and are practicing in Cali. There is a couple of schools now where you are actually a study abroad student so IUON does not even show up on your transcript. I double and triple checked everything to make sure everything was legit before I came down.

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2010

As long as you received documented verification from the state board of nursing that they will accept it then there's no problem. What I do have a problem with is that if you're going to this school, regardless of anything how can IUON NOT show up on your transcripts, it sounds too shady to me. But that's just me, if you want to pursue your education through them then that's up to you. Good Luck

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2010

Since you said that the place is a developing country and it's a third world country. What are your clinical rotations like? If you've ever worked in an American Hospital in the US then that must be a step backwards for you in regards to what's available. Also what's practiced there in the island isn't going to necessarily be what's practiced in the US. A whole different set of rules and regulations.

londonrocks09 · Mar 9, 2010

umm... I was in the study abroad program through Louisiana so my transcript would show that i did a study abroad at IUON, but I am really a student at Louisiana college. I thought this whole system sounded shaddy as well that is why I approached all other options before deciding to come down the IUON, IUON was literally my only option and I really want to become a nurse. I wouldn't waste my money if I knew that it wasn't going to work. To answer the question about the differences, we are taught the American way of doing every skill and are checked off for every skill according to US standards, we practice the US standard in the hospital even though the nurses at the hospital might do a skill differently. The main drawback in the hospital is that there is not automation, we have to calculate drip rates for instance, everyone that I have talked to that has already graduated and taken and passed their boards has said that the differences down here are easily learned in the states. Yes, I would love if I was in a US school in my home state, but unfortunately that's not how things worked out and I'm happy for the opportunity IUON has given me.

carriest · Mar 9, 2010

So you think that it is a good idea to go to that school? I really am looking forward to it and I do want a great education. The adviser said that there is a 95% passing rate for the NCLEX exam and that made things a lot better. The only thing is, is about the California thing. How did those people get to work there if California said that they would not take that school. On their website it does not list ANY of the schools that you would essentially graduate from. I dont think I quite understand it. I called them also and they told me to look on their website (how helpful)

So do you believe you are getting a good education down there and you will be ready to pass the NCLEX? If you know someone who works in California after graduation, could you please have them email or write back to me on this post....? Thanks SO for all the information!!!!

elkpark · Mar 9, 2010

So you think that it is a good idea to go to that school? I really am looking forward to it and I do want a great education. The adviser said that there is a 95% passing rate for the NCLEX exam and that made things a lot better. The only thing is, is about the California thing. How did those people get to work there if California said that they would not take that school. On their website it does not list ANY of the schools that you would essentially graduate from. I dont think I quite understand it. I called them also and they told me to look on their website (how helpful)
So do you believe you are getting a good education down there and you will be ready to pass the NCLEX? If you know someone who works in California after graduation, could you please have them email or write back to me on this post....? Thanks SO for all the information!!!!

BONs do change their requirements periodically -- it may be that this is a more recent change, and those other IUON grads were already licensed (in which case they would not lose their licenses -- the new requirements would only apply to new people). If the CA BRN is telling you you can't get licensed and someone else is telling you something different, I would be inclined to go with what the BRN was telling me ...