nursing schools without accreditation

ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 13, 2011

The University of Phoenix's nursing programs are accredited by the CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education).

Since what year?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2011

Since what year?

A visit to the CCNE website reveals that the University of Phoenix BSN program attained initial accreditation in 2005. Their MSN program also became initially accredited in 2005. Click on the links below for more information.

http://apps.aacn.nche.edu/CCNE/reports/rptAccreditedPrograms_New.asp?state=AZ&sFullName=Arizona&sProgramType=1

http://apps.aacn.nche.edu/CCNE/reports/rptAccreditedPrograms_New.asp?state=AZ&sFullName=Arizona&sProgramType=2

Do-over, ASN, RN · Dec 13, 2011

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..

"They" must be powerful people - they turn up everwhere.

You are painting with a very broad brush here... Do you actually know how U of Phoenix prepares nurses? Do you know any nurses that studied there? Is there any evidence that schools without national accreditation produce poorer quality nurses?

As far as anyone being scared away from my alma mater due to its lack of national accreditation, I am sure the hundreds that apply each term will be glad to let them go - one less person to compete with...

I am not saying that national accreditation is worthless, however the lack of it does not necessarily equal fly-by-night-diploma-mill.

PS - in my limited experience, these days I doubt there are many schools that teach anyone to be a good nurse. schools teach us to be minimally competant, at best, and to pass the NCLEX-RN. I learned to write care plans and change an occupied bed in school. I am learning to be a nurse now that I am licensed and working.

DoGoodThenGo · Dec 13, 2011

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

Name of the program or programs escapes me ATM but it was on the news several months ago; you can probably find it through Google as the now RNs are suing their alma maters.

IIRC the schools were for profit types and the then student nurses didn't think anything was wrong with their education. Indeed they were allowed to sit for and passed the NCLEX. Problems started when they began looking for work. Hiring nurses began asking questions regarding their clinical experience and the girls shot back they hand no direct patient care or nursing arts clinicals. Some said they went to a zoo (yes, that is what she said), others that they "observed" things, but that was that. The nurses are now suing because they are bascially unemployable (no hospital will touch them with a barge pole) but are stuck with huge student loan debt from attending those "nursing schools".

It was on the news and IIRC came out just about the time of the federal crack down on for profit schools and possible cutting back on their ability to access federal student loan funds.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Dec 13, 2011

it all depends on the state Board of Nursing's requirements. If they do not require the certification to be eligible for licensure then don't worry. The certs are from "outside" agencies, not the state, and the state makes the rules.

plasmatix · Dec 13, 2011

Why not? Many professions allow multiple chances at passing entry into profession exams,
The late John Kennedy Jr. took the NYS bar exam and failed something like ten times (more or less) before finally passing.

See, now I think that is nuts.

John F. Kennedy, Jr. did not fail the NYS bar exam ten times. He didn't even fail the bar "something like" ten times. He did, however, take the bar exam 4 times in a 15-month period.

He graduated from New York University School of Law in 1989, and took - and failed - the bar exam twice. There was a fail rate of 30% in both testing cohorts. In the summer of 1990, he passed the Connecticut bar exam, and in November of that year, passed the exam for New York.

I don't have an opinion, one way or the other, about JFK, Jr's intellect, knowledge of the law, or ability to pass standardized tests. But perhaps, prior to posting statements of this nature, they can be checked for something that remotely approaches accuracy?

http://abovethelaw.com/2007/07/the-bar-exam-a-list-of-famous-failures/#more-5350

johnnyarei · Jan 2, 2012

My sister is currently attending a non-accredited program (it is state accredited though). The school has a great reputation and they are producing sought-after nurses. The school produces both LPNs and RNs.

I think that it does not matter which school a person goes to. In the end, they are given the same test and are expected to learn the same material as a student attending an accredited program. I don't think that an accreditation produces a better nurse. I believe that their reputation may be higher, but it does not necessarily give one a better education.

As far as repeated courses, I think that it should be allowed. Things happen.

As long as a person does well in school, studies hard, and prepares themselves for the NCLEX, I think they should not be judged. You only learn the foundation in nursing school, you're not fully introduced into the profession until you've worked as a new grad.

Just my opinion....