Distant learning nursing school ethical issue

Nursing Students Online Learning

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I am in a clinical of a distant learning LPN to BSN nursing school. We are to attend a weekly clinical of 12 hours for a total of 8.5 weeks, as mandated by the BRN and also spelled out in the med surg syllibus. The university hired advance practice nurse managers to teach our class. The first week we had orientation and were at the facility from 8-3 with a 1.5 hr lunch. The student time sheets (signed off by the instructor) are submitted by the student to the distant learning professor at the university.

At the end of orientation, the instructor had us fill in 12 hours when actually put in 6 hoursplus 1.5 hr lunch during orientation, and we did not accomplish all that was required for that meeting. I objected about putting down 12 hrs instead of the amount of hours we actually put in. The instructor said, "I won't tell, if you don't."

The next weeks have been the same. We are on the floor for 6 hrs (including lunch) and the instructor dismisses to go home but signs the time sheet for 12 hrs. Again, I objected, and again I got the same comment. I don't know what to do. I complained to the school but was told that I had to follow the advice of the RN. The problem I have is the amount of clinical time is required by the BRN, and I want as much time on the floor as I can get to gain clinical experience. I also feel I am being shorted on my clinical experience. Plus, I am not receiving the clinical education I paid for. The nursing professor and nursing director are ignoring my complaint. The other students do not feel it is wrong to submit fradulent timesheets, and they feel I am a trouble maker to object.

What advise do you have for me? I don't know what to do.

I don't think Tanacious was asking for the name of the program..but rather what a distance learning clinical program is....??

I know what the original person who posted the information about the school and the program. I was in the class in the Long Beach CA medical center and have seen it all. I, also, tried to go to the distant learning university's nursing teacher and then to the nursing departments chairwoman, and finally all the way up. I did not get any place. I, also, received a similar letter that we are under the facilities hired nurse manager who was in charge of the class. The letter said that we had to do what she said and I sent a response that what the RN and the program is asking us to do was condone severe ethical wrong doing.

I never heard back from that letter. This whole thing is very upsetting. i have lost lots of sleep worring over it. If submitting the wrong hours could be fraud or some kind of crimnal activity, I could lose my LVN license although I complainted, I went along with it.

Run, don't walk away from this program. Find one that meets not only your needs, but the requirements of the BON. Is this program accredited by the NLN or CCNE?

If you choose to leave your current program, only choose a new program that is accredited by CCNE or NLN. I had a job offer rescinded because the employer required the nursing school to be accredited by NLN or CCNE. The higher the degree, the more important this accreditation becomes-at least in the eastern US where I now live. In California where I graduated, NLN and CCNE accreditation was not a requirement by most employers. I'm finding the opposite to be the case in the southeast.

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

a distance learning clinical program is one where the online nursing program has contracted with an instructor to facilitate the clinical portion. In some instances, the student must contract the nurse and hope they do it out of their own good nature (free). Our facility does not allow this type of learning due to distraction if the instructor is our nurse, no contract between the school and the facility, the student is a risk for us while here and the compensation is for the school only and they are not providing a service or a facility.

Run, don't walk away from this program. Find one that meets not only your needs, but the requirements of the BON. Is this program accredited by the NLN or CCNE?

If you choose to leave your current program, only choose a new program that is accredited by CCNE or NLN. I had a job offer rescinded because the employer required the nursing school to be accredited by NLN or CCNE. The higher the degree, the more important this accreditation becomes-at least in the eastern US where I now live. In California where I graduated, NLN and CCNE accreditation was not a requirement by most employers. I'm finding the opposite to be the case in the southeast.

The distant learning nursing school is a nationally advertised, NLN and approved by California Board of Registered Nursing to offer the LVN to BSN program to California residents.

Wow. That is sobering....given that you've expressed that the clinical component is not meeting your expectations, nor what the school advertises, please consider transferring somewhere else. I'm sorry that you are having this experience. Looking back on my own clinical experience, the days (12 hours) seemed very long, but, the experience that was gained by staying the whole 12 hours was invaluable. Best wishes to you what ever choice you make.

This is crazy!!! It is unethical to expect nursing students to lie because an instructor is too lazy to do the job she is being paid to do. The down side of reporting to the BNE is that if this school loses their accreditation because of one lousy instructor, other students may lose the time & money they have invested in the program. It's not too hard to narrow down which college this may be. The college should either require the instructor to put in the 12 hr shifts or find someone who will. Maybe you could let the college know there are sites like this & if they don't make some changes quickly, you will out them. With almost 650,000 members on here, I doubt they can afford that kind of bad publicity.

Hi there:

I'm in the same situation. We are supposed to do 9 hour clinicals and we get out after 4. Class was completely cancelled last night. But I feel like I can't tell anyone because the other students will "kill" me and I won't be able to transfer out of the clinical class. My instructor will not be happy either. BUT I do have a dean who is very strict and will likely make us make up the hours if she finds out. I'm pretty sure I won't get in trouble with her for letting her know, but I will get into a lot of trouble with the class and my instructor. I don't know what to do now. But yest, I feel your pain.

Specializes in Hospice and Pedi Hem-Onc Nursing.

WOW and Cali BRN doesn't accept Excelsior's RN program? I'm outraged!

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
WOW and Cali BRN doesn't accept Excelsior's RN program? I'm outraged!

They haven't for quite some time now. Neither does MD BoN.

I am in a clinical of a distant learning LPN to BSN nursing school. We are to attend a weekly clinical of 12 hours for a total of 8.5 weeks, as mandated by the BRN and also spelled out in the med surg syllibus. The university hired advance practice nurse managers to teach our class. The first week we had orientation and were at the facility from 8-3 with a 1.5 hr lunch. The student time sheets (signed off by the instructor) are submitted by the student to the distant learning professor at the university.

At the end of orientation, the instructor had us fill in 12 hours when actually put in 6 hoursplus 1.5 hr lunch during orientation, and we did not accomplish all that was required for that meeting. I objected about putting down 12 hrs instead of the amount of hours we actually put in. The instructor said, "I won't tell, if you don't."

The next weeks have been the same. We are on the floor for 6 hrs (including lunch) and the instructor dismisses to go home but signs the time sheet for 12 hrs. Again, I objected, and again I got the same comment. I don't know what to do. I complained to the school but was told that I had to follow the advice of the RN. The problem I have is the amount of clinical time is required by the BRN, and I want as much time on the floor as I can get to gain clinical experience. I also feel I am being shorted on my clinical experience. Plus, I am not receiving the clinical education I paid for. The nursing professor and nursing director are ignoring my complaint. The other students do not feel it is wrong to submit fradulent timesheets, and they feel I am a trouble maker to object.

What advise do you have for me? I don't know what to do.

According to the CA BRN Board, your and other students' complaints were investigated and the outcome discussed publically during the September and November Board meetings concerning the problems outlined. The Board's attorney made a ruling at last week's Board meeting. He stated that the LVN to BSN program DID NOT MEET the requirements for a California nursing school, and ISU did not meet the requirements from its inception in 2007 to the present date. The Nurse Practice Act and other California Codes required ISU to partner with a CA BRN authorized university nursing school. ISU apparently could not locate such a school, but it was able to partner with Sonoma State's nursing EXTENSION PROGRAM--which is not authorized. Because ISU had no authorized nursing school partner university, the original application and approval for the LVN to BSN program was invalid, but ISU began operating the school.

ISU had great difficulty placing students in California clinicals. ISU originally submitted and received an approval a 1:1 nursing model, but because of its clinical problems, ISU independently changed the nursing model. The CA BRN had no knowledge of the change nor gave its approval. This is the program in which you complained about. The program was illegal in California.

Finally, ISU could not provide concurrent clinical placements for its students although the CA Nurse Practice Act demands it. The opinion states that the ISU STUDENT NURSES WERE PRACTICING NURSING WITHOUT A LICENSE, per the CA BRN attorney, and have committed a misdemenor, for which they could be prosecuted.

There were other illegal issues that the CA BRN found, but I hope this information provides you with some solace.

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