NC is a communist state!

[cnp002]

I am a NC resident and was just informed by my state that they are restricting NC residents from applying to out of state schools that require in state clinicals. This restriction is insane and limits nurses to NC school that have limited seats in their programs. I am devastated!!!!!!!!!!!!

[elkpark]

What does that have to do with communism?? And if it's really that big a problem for you, you can always move somewhere else to go to school (plenty of us moved to attend grad school ...)

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

The other obvious issue here is contained in the line "that require in-state clinicals," as most distance programs with which I am familiar do not. Frankly, I don't see this as bring too much of an issue for you or your fellow Carolinians.

And I think you meant NC is a fascist state, not communist, lol.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Actually, it's all part of a very complex national issue that will take a couple of years to work out. Each state is charged with regulating education within its particular borders. They certify education programs as being legitimate in an attempt to protect the public from bogus programs that defraud people by taking their money while not providing legitimate education. State Boards of Nursing oversee the regulation of the nursing programs within that state -- and the schools within each state pay a fee to pay for that regulation just as each nurse pays a fee that pays for the BON's activities related to the regulation of individual licensure.

That worked fine when people literally "went" to school. But now, with the proliferation of online schools ... you have schools operating in multiple states. Suddenly, students are attending classes (and arranging clinicals) for schools that may or may not be meeting the standards of those states. The whole system of standards and regulation gets ignored. A new system needs to be developed. New systems have been developed, but they are far from perfect and of course, the implementation of those standards is very controversial.

It's all in limbo right now while educators and educational regulators try to create a new system for the regulation of education. In the meantime, each state and each school is having to decide how to handle the "out-of-state student" issue. I don't know the details of the current North Carolina situation. But it's just the tip of a very large iceberg. Expect to see more such issues in the near future.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Can you give a little more information, cnp002? I just checked the website of the NC Board of Nursing and can't find any statement related to that topic (other than they DO allow graduates of the Excelsior program to take the NCLEX in NC). Is there some rule, guideline, or position paper that explains their position? If so, I would like to see it as I am very interested in the issue.