Need help with accreditation decision

[mitchelldog]

Hey hows it going, so i live in Washington and have completed my associates in pre nursing. I also have completed my CNA certification with bls and HIV/AIDS class. My question is I have been struggling getting admitted into a BSN program so have been looking for other options. I was considering on getting my LPN license but decided to look at some RN programs out of state as well. Theres a program in Oregon that I plan on applying to and feel confident about getting in but it isnt ACEN or CCNE accredited. It is a nationally accredited school and is accredited by Oregon state and WA also lists the school as an "Approved Clinical Site Placement for Out-Of-State Nursing Programs". If i was to go through this program to get qualified to take the nclex and recieve my rn license, do you think I would be fine to then do a rn-bsn program? Down the road I want to become a NP so thats my biggest concern, but I really want to get my rn license as soon as possible so i can start working. Since I plan on getting my BSN and already have AA with nursing pre reqs I feel like everything would work out but am still a little hesitant. Hoping to hear some opinions and get some guidance.

sorry for long post and thanks for the input.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

Theres a program in Oregon that I plan on applying to and feel confident about getting in but it isnt ACEN or CCNE accredited. It is a nationally accredited school and is accredited by Oregon state and WA.

As far as I know there are only two national accrediting organizations ACEN and CCNE. What organization did this school nationally accredited? States do not accredit schools. State BONs approve schools to provide nursing education in their state. Can you name the school so we can determine if it would be a good plan?

[mitchelldog]

Ok thanks. Ya thats what I meant, the state approved the school to provide nursing education in their state and it was also listed on WA state web site as well for out of state programs. It was accredited by ABHES and OSBN. The school is Sumner college in Oregon. From what I was read people were saying the biggest negative about not going to a program thats ACEN or CCNE approved is that if you want to get your bachelors degree then you will need to retake pre reqs or get your AA for credits to transfer to the BSN, but since I already have AA i'm just lacking the RN license so was thinking that it might work out. I just want to make sure because my end goal is CRNA or NP down the road. As long as I get my BSN from a approved ACEN or CCNE program I should be fine right? thanks for the help.

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

You should call the admissions departments of graduate schools you are interested in and ask them.

[llg, PhD, RN]

If it were me, personally, I wouldn't do it. While it might work out for you ... there is some risk involved. And I wouldn't take that risk with my career on the line. I would play it safe with the longer, more difficult route of going to an accredited school from day 1.

The quicker and easier path is sometimes OK -- and this may be one of those times. But some things are too important to gamble with.

But that is just me ...

[ItsThatJenGirl, CNA]

What are you struggling with regarding getting into a BSN program?

[OliverElio87, BSN, RN]

That would be a no for me. Even if it is not ACEN or CCNE accredited it's also not WASC (regionally) accredited. You say you want to be an NP, but if it is not a regionally accredited, you will have an extremely hard time getting into an NP program.

Basically, you want the program to be ACEN or CCNE and regionally accredited.

[mitchelldog]

Ok thanks for the help. If I get my BSN from a school that is ACEN or CCNE then wouldn't that work though? I was thinking that if I can get my RN license and start working and get my BSN from accredited school then down the road apply for my masters degree. Because to my understanding most of the graduate degrees want you to have a current RN license and a bachelors degree with a solid overall GPA. I would have both and then I would also have two associates degree's. One as a pre nursing degree and the other as the ADN degree. I guess my other option if the NP programs didn't accept it would be PA programs since my nursing experience would be relevant experience. Also, is the biggest downfall to a nationally accredited program vs regionally thats ACEN or CCNE mainly getting into graduate programs and advancing career that way? Like are those programs fine for getting RN if you just want to work and get state license or will it be challenging finding jobs? I would just hate to do the two years and have it be a complete waste of time where I cant work and etc. Sorry for all the thoughts and questions. I appreciate the help and opinions.

[OliverElio87, BSN, RN]

In nursing (jobs), the important things are to be state board approved (so you can take the NCLEX-RN) and also be CCNE/ACEN accredited. However, in academia the gold standard is regional accreditation. If a school is regionally accredited your classes (GE's, prerequisites, etc) will transfer to other regionally accredited schools. So if you took anatomy at a non-regionally accredited school and you want to to go a regionally accredited school like UWash it most likely won't transfer. For-profit private regionally accredited colleges might, but not most non/profit schools.

[mitchelldog]

Ok that makes sense thanks for the help. I already have an AA in pre nursing from a regionally accredited school so that will be fine when getting my bachelors. The only thing im lacking to get my BSN is the RN license. Thats why I was considering that program. If i was to then get my BSN from a CCNE/ACEN accredited program then wouldn't that be fine when applying to jobs. Like wouldn't that in a sense cover all the aspects of having a RN license and having the BSN with the proper accreditation to support it?

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

To be honest, that school would be highly undesirable for me. I wouldn't even consider it. My state's BON won't even let a school operate if they don't maintain ACEN or CCNE accreditation. Pre-licensure nursing programs are more than just "getting through it to take the NCLEX." It's the part where you learn not to kill people, and that school doesn't seem to be even making the effort to adhere to nursing education standards. You're trying to pry favorable opinions from us, but no one here has thought it's a good idea so far.

Edit - Sorry, rereading that and I sound a bit snippy. Hard to relay tone over text. Will you be able to go to NP school if you chose to attend this school? Most likely. At the worst, for profit school aren't really that selective. Is it a good idea? I don't think so. It doesn't feel good when your peers, potential employers, and school admissions don't respect your education.

[Extra Pickles]

i live in Washington and have completed my associates in pre nursing.

since I already have AA i'm just lacking the RN license

The only thing im lacking to get my BSN is the RN license

Maybe I'm interpreting this wrong but it looks to me like you don't seem to see that you haven't actually HAD any nursing education yet. I don't know what a degree in "pre-nursing" qualifies one to do except enroll in a nursing program..? It's not that you already have a degree in nursing and "just" lack the license, it isn't that the "only thing" you're lacking for the BSN is an RN license (which you don't need to get a BSN, it's the other way around). It's that you haven't got any nursing coursework done yet and need to find a school that will give you that. And one that you can springboard from rather than stay stagnant.

At any rate I'm with the others, if you go to a school that lacks respectable credentials you might regret it later. Certain jobs will spell out that they only accept graduates from ACEN or CCNE programs. If you're comfortable about the ability to transfer credits and get into better schools later then you might have an easier time with the decision. Me? I wouldn't do it, and you might decide to do otherwise, but then you did ask for opinions :)