It would be a great accomplishment for me if I could get a Bachelors in Nursing.
However--- My plan of attending Denver School of Nursing is somewhat shot--- just due to financing.
You're not really supposed to work while in Nursing school and I just don't have the means to be without a job for that amount of time.
Do you have any ideas for alternatives? (I live in the Denver)
I'm looking into ADN programs- then trying to find work in a hospital and going back for a BSN (there is a program at Metro which lets you work in the nursing field while obtaining your BSN).
I've looked into Community colleges- and am wondering if an AAS (Associates of Applied Science) is the equivalent to an ADN? It seems that they're not--- and that you can't necessarily transfer into a BSN program if you have an AAS. Any clarification on this?
It just seems that each way I turn there are huge obstacles knocking me down from my dream.
Just to let you know DSN does have accreditation for their ADN and BSN programs though they do not have NLN "certification". And I personally know a DSN graduate (within the past year) who got hired and works at Children's.
I'm not sure what you mean by "anymore". As for not being hired by most hospitals, DSN grad are having the same new grad problems that everyone else is. If that were really the case, I doubt every starting quarter at DSN would be completely full.
Hospitals change their policies all the time so it wouldn't surprise me if what vanderth posted is true. The hospitals can be ruthless and could care less how much you spent on your education. I personally wouldn't take the chance of spending 50k (or however much) on nsg school to then risk not getting a job - either b/c of the school not having accreditation or entering a market saturated w/ new grad RNs.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
The community college I went to (called technical colleges in Wisconsin) has a part time, evening and weekend ADN program for those who must continue to work full time. The program is 4 years long but allowed you to work full time. You could also combine the program with their regular ADN prorgam and, say, go two years part time while working to get your LPN then go two semesters full time to finish the ADN-RN. No waiting list for the program and plenty of work in the area.
Total cost for the program is less than $6K for residents. Don't know about non residents but the non resident rate would only apply the first year anyway.
Just to let you know DSN does have accreditation for their ADN and BSN programs though they do not have NLN "certification". And I personally know a DSN graduate (within the past year) who got hired and works at Children's.
I'm not sure what you mean by "anymore". As for not being hired by most hospitals, DSN grad are having the same new grad problems that everyone else is. If that were really the case, I doubt every starting quarter at DSN would be completely full.
I work at Children's and it is now their policy that they WILL NOT hire anyone from DSON or Platte College as they are not fully accredited. I personally know of two DSON graduates who did get hired but they were lucky because they got hired just before their policy was changed. Rethink DSON.
Wow it's amazing how much people can misinform other people. DSN (or DSON) has their ACCST accreditation. They are on NLN's website for candidacy. Both Children's and University of CO Hospital are going to hire DSN graduates as soon as the NLN accreditation is final and complete, which shouldn't be too much longer. Generally this is a 5 year process and DSN has been in the process for a few years already. All of the others hospitals in the metro area are hiring DSN graduates, I've spoken to many charge nurses recently (mostly at Swedish and Denver Health, but I've heard from other HR departments at metro hospitals) and they have had great experiences with DSN graduates and are considering them...well when they are hiring given the nursing job market right now. If you're interested in getting your master's, currently you can attend UOP in the metro area, but there are other schools across the country that will take the DSN BSN credits and accept you. However, once they get their NLN accreditation, it's my understanding that most of the metro higher education schools will accept DSN graduates into their master's programs (I've heard this directly from CU thus far).
I would just suggest to anyone, do your own research. We all have our opinions on here, some are biased and some are objective, but make sure not to just take what some anonymous person on here says...there is hope for us all, this world needs good nurses and despite the many obstacles we seem to face getting there, it is possible!!! :)
They are DEFINITELY in the NLN candidacy stage. They may not be listed on their site yet, but I'm pretty sure that isn't up to date. I'm not sure what your problem is and what you have against DSN, but no need to get mean! We all can take the path we deem best, it's not like those of us that go to DSN are lesser nurses, students or people...I have a 4.0, VP of PTK and could most likely get into CU or Regis, but have decided that DSN is the best route for me because I can start sooner.
Just to let you know DSN does have accreditation for their ADN and BSN programs though they do not have NLN "certification".
Wow it's amazing how much people can misinform other people. DSN (or DSON) has their ACCST accreditation. They are on NLN's website for candidacy.
When people talk about accreditation of programs in nursing, they're talking about NLNAC or CCNE accreditation. ACCST is (I found by doing a Google search, since I've never heard of it) a group that accredits private, proprietary technical and vocational schools in general -- it has nothing to do with nursing specifically, and that accreditation wouldn't help you if you're applying to a graduate program that requires you to have graduated from a CCNE- or NLNAC-accredited program.
DSN does not appear on the NLNAC's list of current candidates for accreditation, and the school's website says that they "intend" to apply for NLNAC accreditation at some point in the future,
None of that means that it's not a good nursing program, of course. They are state-approved for licensure (they would have to be, or they wouldn't be in business). It's just that you could have problems with furthering your nursing education down the road if you graduate from a non-accredited program. Many programs require that you have graduated from a accredited program, and there may be a problem with credits from DSN being accepted by other schools. I looked at the DSN website and found this (on the FAQ page) --
"Can I advance my degree after graduating from DSN?
Yes. DSN has an articulation agreement with the University of Phoenix that allows transfer of DSN credits toward the ADN to BSN program." (http://www.denverschoolofnursing.org/FAQs.php)
To me, that suggests that Phoenix is probably the only school that will accept DSN credits -- otherwise, why make such a specific statement? Many people who have gone to proprietary, voc/tech schools for nursing programs may have gotten a fine (or, at least, perfectly adequate) nursing education and gotten licensed, but they found, when they wanted to return to school and further their education and career opportunities, that the previous credits didn't transfer and they had to start all over again. Sounds like this is the case with DSN, except for UoP.
Again, I have a hard time justifying paying (expensive!) tuition to an unaccredited school with credits that won't freely transfer, in nursing, in this day and age. Everyone is free to make their own best decisions, of course -- I just think it's important to understand some of the details that people new to nursing frequently don't.
That isn't NLN, that's the Higher Learning Commisison, which is a totally different accreditation.
I have nothing against DSN. I know graduates of it who are very good nurses. It just needs to be made clear that they don't have NLN accreditation yet and without it, graduates are very limited in their Master's options. There are very few schools that will accept DSN grads right now. Obviously that will change if/when they get the NLN accrediation.
This accredidation can take years is the point. Right now it does not matter that they are in the "process" of getting this. The fact is that University and Childrens WILL NOT hire these grads at this time. They need to have ALL the accredidations in place. The nursing manager on my floor sent out an email telling nursing students that if they are attending DSON or Platt College that if they want to work at Children's then they might want to reconsider where they are getting their education if they want to work here.
But that's exactly why I won't consider DSON. That accreditation is a *national* accreditation for trade and proprietary schools. Credits earned there are not automatically accepted across a wide range of universities and graduate schools, which are *regionally* accredited. I know it seems odd that regional accreditation should rank higher than national accreditation, but in academic circles it does.
And that doesn't need to be a dealbreaker for anyone else, but it is for me. Perhaps I'll never want to take my nursing education further than a BSN. If I do, though, I want my credits and degree earned in a standard, regionally accredited program, so that transferring credits is not even a question, let alone an issue.
That's an entirely separate issue, by the way, from NLNAC or CCNE accreditation, which are accreditations specific to nursing. That's *another* dealbreaker for me: I won't choose a school that is in the process of earning it, but only one that is already accredited.
Everyone choosing a program, of course, sets their own standards for what's workable and what's not. I'm not saying my choices should be other peoples' choices, but I do think the issue of regional versus national accreditation is not always understood.
Just to let you know DSN does have accreditation for their ADN and BSN programs though they do not have NLN "certification". And I personally know a DSN graduate (within the past year) who got hired and works at Children's.
I'm not sure what you mean by "anymore". As for not being hired by most hospitals, DSN grad are having the same new grad problems that everyone else is. If that were really the case, I doubt every starting quarter at DSN would be completely full.
I understand your friend got hired at Children's and I think that is great. The hospitals are no longer hiring from DSN, meaning recently they decided they are no longer hiring from DSN. The reason that DSN is full is because it is very difficult to get in anywhere else. I am not disputing the fact that they have a great program. I am simply stating the facts that I have personally found out and trying to save some people time and money. For those who wish to go to DSN, I think that is great. It just wasn't for me, as I want to continue my education and DSN's BSN programs are not accepted in higher learning institutions such as CU and Regis. However, I do believe they have a graduate agreement with Phoenix schools?
So anyone attending DSN, good luck! I hope it is everything that your hearts desire! :-)
This accredidation can take years is the point. Right now it does not matter that they are in the "process" of getting this. The fact is that University and Childrens WILL NOT hire these grads at this time. They need to have ALL the accredidations in place. The nursing manager on my floor sent out an email telling nursing students that if they are attending DSON or Platt College that if they want to work at Children's then they might want to reconsider where they are getting their education if they want to work here.
I have personally spoken to Children's, Denver Health, St. Joes, St. Anthony's, Swedish etc. I too was informed that nurses from DSN WILL NOT be considered for positions due to their accred status. I am not sure why people get so defensive about this information? Makes me think that some of the defensive responses are from actual DSN employees. I am not trying to do anything but save some people major heartache, as I would like the same done for me. I too considered this school and did a lot of research instead of depending on word of mouth. SO I encourage people to call around to the HR departments of places where they wish to work and see if they higher from DSN or learn about their hiring criteria. If you go on websites to hospitals some of them clearly state that you have to be a graduate of an nln or ccne accred school. Again, just trying to be helpful not criticize or tear people down.
hope3456, ASN, RN
1,263 Posts
Hospitals change their policies all the time so it wouldn't surprise me if what vanderth posted is true. The hospitals can be ruthless and could care less how much you spent on your education. I personally wouldn't take the chance of spending 50k (or however much) on nsg school to then risk not getting a job - either b/c of the school not having accreditation or entering a market saturated w/ new grad RNs.