nursing schools without accreditation

Nurses General Nursing

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What is your opinion of non-accredited nursing schools churning out nurses? I was in another thread and was told that students from these schools can sit for the NCLEX.For some reason, that doesn't settle well with me.

Specializes in ICU.
I understand your point about accreditation, and it's valid and I'm sure there's a lot of truth to it. But I don't think it's the be-all, end-all of nursing schools. You take the same NCLEX no matter where you graduate. Someone from an accredited school can barely pass the courses and take four tries to pass the NCLEX. Someone from a non-accredited school can graduate with A's and pass on the first try. So just because the school is accredited doesn't mean the students will automatically be better nurses.

I agree that not all nurses that graduate from an accredited school will necessarily be better nurses, but it does seem that they would have received a higher- caliber education. Accreditation is there for a reason. I would never go to a non- accredited hospital, for example.

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For the last bit every college one has ever attended while allowing repeats both grades count. Therefore trying to undo the damage from a "C", "D" or god forbid "F" is going to take an "A" in the repeat and perhaps a few other classes as well.

And not all schools allow a repeat if you got a C. I got a C in Algebra (in 1995!!) and would LOVE to take it again. Both for a better grade since I now care about schooling and not just graduating like I did with my first bachelors LOL and also because I need to brush up on my math after 16 years of first going to college. Unfortunately, taking it again (at the CC and the local univ.) is a no go. Sucks.

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Specializes in CICU.

The OP is, I believe, referring to my post in another thread about my nursing school not being NLNAC accredited.

Everyone has to make his or her own choice. Every school should be evaluated on far more criteria than NLNAC/AACN, etc. My particular school had PhD and MAsters prepared instructors, clinicals in all the major health systems, stringent standards, and applicants in droves for the spots available. Admission is competetive (no wait lists) and the competition is fierce. The nurses I graduated with are working all over the board in the area - including ICU, OR, L&D at the "Bigs", as well as probably every other area you can think of.

I dont' know why they don't have the accreditation, honestly. My assumption is that, because the school is already so successful, it has been deemed a waste of time and valuable resources. Why try to fix something that isn't broken?

I am, however, completing my BSN at a university accredited by the AACN. This is why I cared even less about my original school's lack of national accreditation.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.
I wonder why a person is allowed to retake the boards if they don't pass? This allowance to retake boards doesn't sit well with me.

The almighty dollar comes to mind as a reason....

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.
I wonder why a person is allowed to retake the boards if they don't pass? This allowance to retake boards doesn't sit well with me.

Some people arent good test takers or have really bad test anxiety. I have yet to take my NCLEX but i know its no walk in the park and requires a huge amount of preperation. If i study my face off, and dont pass the first try. i know what i need to focus on for the next time.

Now people who have 4+ 10+ attempts on licensing exams is just ridiculous.

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The OP is, I believe, referring to my post in another thread about my nursing school not being NLNAC accredited.

Everyone has to make his or her own choice. Every school should be evaluated on far more criteria than NLNAC/AACN, etc. My particular school had PhD and MAsters prepared instructors, clinicals in all the major health systems, stringent standards, and applicants in droves for the spots available. Admission is competetive (no wait lists) and the competition is fierce. The nurses I graduated with are working all over the board in the area - including ICU, OR, L&D at the "Bigs", as well as probably every other area you can think of.

I dont' know why they don't have the accreditation, honestly. My assumption is that, because the school is already so successful, it has been deemed a waste of time and valuable resources. Why try to fix something that isn't broken?

I am, however, completing my BSN at a university accredited by the AACN. This is why I cared even less about my original school's lack of national accreditation.

Accreditation is very time consuming and expensive to get. Unlike the BBB the NLN, AACN and other major bodies just don't hand it over in exchange for a small fee. Once the initial paperwork is submitted they *will* be in a school's bidness; asking questions, requesting documentation, making visits and so forth. Even once obtained there are periodic evaluations and even risk of suspension or removal from the list.

Now if you are the only program in some rural part of the country and your grads don't go far *maybe* it's not a big deal. However in major urban and even secondary markets it often makes a difference.

However being as all this may the real thing even NLN/AACN care about is board passing rates. If the program consistently churns out classes where >90% pass the NCLEX they may not feel the ROI for obtaning and keeping accreditation worth it.

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The almighty dollar comes to mind as a reason....

Whose dollar?

Schools don't receive any funds from a student taking and or retaking the boards. So it's hard to see any financial incentive for them either way. Nor can a student obtain a refund for her/his nursing education if they do not pass on the first attempt.

Aren't we forgetting just what the NCLEX and most other licensing exams test for? All the boards seek to know is if one meets the minimum standards to practice safely. Again there are some great nurses who didn't pass the exam on their first attempt, and others who passed with just seventy questions or so and aren't safe to let loose on one's pet goldfish. For that matter there have been nursing students who have taken and passed the boards without even spending one day in clinicals or a nursing arts lab.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.
Whose dollar?

Schools don't receive any funds from a student taking and or retaking the boards. So it's hard to see any financial incentive for them either way. Nor can a student obtain a refund for her/his nursing education if they do not pass on the first attempt.

Aren't we forgetting just what the NCLEX and most other licensing exams test for? All the boards seek to know is if one meets the minimum standards to practice safely. Again there are some great nurses who didn't pass the exam on their first attempt, and others who passed with just seventy questions or so and aren't safe to let loose on one's pet goldfish. For that matter there have been nursing students who have taken and passed the boards without even spending one day in clinicals or a nursing arts lab.

The people taking the exam. $200 just to schedule the NCLEX? If someone has to take the exam 3-4 or more times, that's several hundred dollars going right into Pearsonvue's pocket. And since they out-source their call centers, that's an even bigger profit for them.

Sorry if you think I was implying that schools--accredidated or not--were seeing a financial incentive for testing re-takes. That was CERTAINLY not where I was heading....

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The people taking the exam. $200 just to schedule the NCLEX? If someone has to take the exam 3-4 or more times, that's several hundred dollars going right into Pearsonvue's pocket. And since they out-source their call centers, that's an even bigger profit for them.

Sorry if you think I was implying that schools--accredidated or not--were seeing a financial incentive for testing re-takes. That was CERTAINLY not where I was heading....

Well there are few free "do overs" in life. :D I personally didn't pass my drivers license road test the first time and had to pay again for the second attempt. It wasn't $200 but then again one has the same two choices; pay to retake the exam (and hopefully pass) or don't take the test. Considering the huge investment in time and money spent to get to the point of taking the NCLEX, $200 while not cheap is small beer in the long run. If you pass you'll make more much more than that over the course of one's career.

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Specializes in ICU.

Aren't we forgetting just what the NCLEX and most other licensing exams test for? All the boards seek to know is if one meets the minimum standards to practice safely. Again there are some great nurses who didn't pass the exam on their first attempt, and others who passed with just seventy questions or so and aren't safe to let loose on one's pet goldfish. For that matter there have been nursing students who have taken and passed the boards without even spending one day in clinicals or a nursing arts lab.

How could one possibly graduate nursing school without "even spending one day in clinicals or a nursing arts lab"??

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
How could one possibly graduate nursing school without "even spending one day in clinicals or a nursing arts lab"??

:confused:

That is beyond scary. I know people say that it is a pain to get accreditation, but it is suppose give. They don't want every run of the mill, unqualified school teaching people.

If a school doesn't give a damn about meeting a credential standard, what should make anyone think that they care about teaching people how to be good nurses? These schools tend to be your university of Phoenix typesthat really don't prepare students to work in the field of nursing..

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
These schools tend to be your university of Phoenix typesthat really don't prepare students to work in the field of nursing..
The University of Phoenix's nursing programs are accredited by the CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education).
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