Sanford Brown Jacksonville

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I just went to SBI for information as I believe I have better chances getting in this school than at FSCJ. I was told that for the RN program, I would be taking classes for 12 months on campus, then 6 months on externship. The rep showed me the pass rates for the other medical programs offered at that school, but of course the pass rate for RN was not posted. I was told that the RN program is only 2 years old.

1. Where can I get the NCLEX pass rate result for the first graduating class(es)?

2. I know that SBI is an accredited school, but is their RN PROGRAM accredited?

3. Where are all the graduates? Are they RNs now? If so, are they working?

I would love to hear your opinions. I also hope to hear from SBI nursing students or SBI nursing graduates before I even consider diving into debt again.

Thanks!!!

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Last month's issue of Good Housekeeping magazine had a lengthy article about Sanford Brown. I would try to find it and read it if you can. Very interesting, and from what I read, I would be concerned about the accreditation. Sorry I don't have any real info, but I thought the article was informative. Good luck to you! :)

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Thanks hdhj. I will try to google articles on Good Housekeeping. Since it is fairly current, I may get some great info that will help me decide. Also, if you happen to find it, please share. Thanks again.

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I didnt think it was accredited. I know there was a post on these forums of how terrible the school was, search for it. The thing is right now the economy is in the tank and there is no nursing shortage so jobs are hard to come by even if you go to a great school. New grads are having a hard time finding jobs. Nurses know why people go to stanford brown type schools, because they cant get into the real schools due to poor grades. When you have 400-500 applicants for 20 or so jobs like they do now, if I were hiring, I'd eliminate the people from schools like stanford brown right off the bat because I know they couldnt get into the competitive programs due to grades. Thats just my opinion.

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Specializes in LTAC, Homehealth, Hospice Case Manager.

Looking on the school's web site, it says that the LPN program is approved by the Florida Board of Nursing & that the Jacksonville campus is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools...meaning it's curriculum is acceptable to award certificates & degrees. I didn't see anything in regards to accreditation of the RN or BSN programs. Due to it's lack of regional & national accreditation, it's quite possible that any credits gained from this school may not transfer to a higher level institution. I went through their Medical Assisting program in '97 when it was Ultrasound Diagnostic School & nothing transferred. I currently know one person who was originally wanting to go through the cardiovascular sonography program & they made her take the MA program first. I don't really understand the reasoning behind this & pretty well think they're just soaking her GI bill. Maybe the PearsonVue or Florida Board of Nursing sites can give you more NCLEX info on this school. The best advise I can give is to think a little more on this one & maybe try applying to St. John's, Lake City, or maybe even Kaiser. A good way to get basic info is to look at the colleges web site...alot of your questions about the school itself can be answered this way & there's no commitment. It's best, even if you have to wait, to get into a program that's good enough to transfer in the future than it would be to make do & get into one just to fast track it into the nursing work force. Hope this helps...all my best to you!

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Specializes in Corrections, tele/med surg.

Part of the reason SBI Jax has a bad reputation is because people post on here and other sites about something when they know nothing about it. SBI Jax doesn't have an NCLEX pass rate yet because the first class hasn't even graduated! There is NO LPN program at SBI Jax. The school is regionally accredited, approved by the Florida Board of Nursing and after the first 2 classes graduate the NLN will give their accreditation, which will be applied to the first classes. I happen to be in the first class. I will begin my preceptorship next week. This week I did a preliminary proctored ATI comp predictor which gives a probability % that you will pass NCLEX on your first try. I got 96% probability. There were others who scored in that range also, and many who scored high enough to be allowed to sit for NCLEX right now. Their were some who still have lots of work to do. In any program, you get what you give. The school is committed to do whatever is necessary to help us pass NCLEX on our first attempt. At no extra cost we are getting or have already received: Saunders NCLEX review, ATI review, Hurst Review, and HESI. If you are still not scoring high enough on the predictors they will continue to remediate you until you can pass. I am very pleased with my school. There are negatives, but I think that is true in any program. Don't throw them out as a choice because of what people say. I have found many FSCJ students dislike our school for some reason! But the nurses at OPMC, where I did my clinicals, love SBI nursing students :nurse:

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Specializes in LTAC, Homehealth, Hospice Case Manager.

I've attended this school & know of other's that are currently attending. I also taught at this school as well. My personal opinions are formed from mine & their experiences. Not saying you're wrong, but I find it kinda interesting that they couldn't post the same info on their web site that you have provided. I think accreditation info is necessary to make an informed choice. College is an important decision. In light of my own experience, I think SBI makes it's own fair share of financial gains from this community...I also believe that there are better programs available. Also, the web site is obviously very misleading...I didn't directly state that the Jax campus does have an LPN program...I just stated that SBI's LPN program is approved by the FL Bon, but didn't see anything about an RN program. Maybe SBI needs to revamp their site! I have also worked at OPMC & of course they love new grads...almost anybody who puts in an app will get a call because the working conditions are so poor that they can't keep good, experienced nurses. The picture that the recruiter paints & what's reality is usually 2 completely different things. IMHO, an 8-9 pt load is extremely dangerous & very exhausting...

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Specializes in Corrections, tele/med surg.

I will agree that some of the practices of SBI are questionable, as far as making students go through one program to get to another. Although by doing that they did me a favor. I enrolled in the MA program because I wanted to do ultrasound. It didn't take me long in the MA program to realize that I wanted to be a nurse. This is an expense route and not something I think that many would benefit from. I am disappointed that they use this practice as frequently as they do.

I want to say that it must have been quite some time since you worked at OPMC. I have never seen any nurse have more than 6 patients, although I have heard that they will push it to 7 if they are short staffed. A few new nurses working there told me it took them 6 months or more to get hired. I think they have had a change in upper management in recent years and things have improved. OPMC has always been at the bottom of my list for hospital choices (as a patient or a nurse) but what I have seen on clinicals has actually been quite impressive. I did some clinical time at Shands and went running back to OPMC!

Here is the link to the FL board of nursing website excel spreadsheet that shows that SBI Jax ADN program is accredited and approved on line 82: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/nursing/lst_trainingprograms.xls

Good luck to anyone who is chosing nursing as a profession. I am proud to be a part of nursing and proud to be an almost graduate of SBI-Jax!!!:yeah:

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Specializes in LTAC, Homehealth, Hospice Case Manager.

Thank you for sharing the web site...I'm sure others will find it quite helpful. It's only been 2 years since I worked at OPMC & it was more than I cared to deal with. I felt that not only were my pts in jeopardy, but my license as well, so I found something better. Lol...I agree , Shands is a scary experience! Congrats & all my best to you! :)

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So lets say you go to this school and become an RN then want to get your BSN, will all those classes you took transfer to another college? I hear they wont.

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Specializes in Corrections, tele/med surg.

They will transfer to Chamberlain, Kaplan and U of Phoenix. I took my prereqs (except college algebra) at FCCj and SJRCC and I will be applying to JU for my BSN. They don't take SBI's prereqs but with what I already have and the 30 credits they give you for having your RN license I should not have a problem. I have also heard a rumor that SBI is going to start a BSN.

Halfpint, I agree 8 patients isn't safe for anyone. I would not work under those conditions. Hopefully there has been a change in management or something!

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I'm curious...when one applies for a job as a new grad from any school....

let's assume for the moment you have your license because you passed your

state boards...do you put what school you attended on your resume or simply

that you are "licensed" and the clinical experience gained at X institution?

Does HR at any potential hospital, clinic, nursing home etc, ask to see your

transcripts or your license? Does you license state where you graduated

from? I'm in Illinois and want to know not for nursing, but for the Sanford

Brown's Diagnostic Medical Sonography certificate program for which I've been

told, once completed, I am eligble to take the appropriate licensing exam thus

becoming a licensed diagnostic medical sonographer. I have an associate

of science degree from an accredited junior college. The reason SOME of us

apply to programs such as the ones Sanford Brown offers is because of the

overwhelming number of applicants at other junior colleges. 600 applicants for an

12-18 seat semester start makes odds of getting into the cheaper colleges slim even

with perfect gpa's. I'm 42 and don't have a 100 years to finally get in.

I have a 4.0 gpa with transcripts to prove it, so it's NOT always because the

other students on here don't have the necessary gpa's to gain entry. That is

not correct thinking nor is that a fair statement. All of the courses I took to obtain my

associate in science will transfer to any 4 year institution and exceed requirements

for an associate of applied science RN degree. I had to have calculus and statistics

to graduate with an associate of science. It's also my understanding that

most of the Bachelors and Master's programs at many 4 year institutions are

online based and are for licensed nurses, so finding one to accept your transfer

credit should not be too hard. Actually, the gen eds required for the

nursing program entry are not that cumbersome and would be required for any

degree program, so if you have to take them to bridge to a BSN or MSN, so be it.

Maybe for Sanford Brown propspects, taking the gen ed at an accredited Junior

college first and then doing the program would be best since you then won't have

to re-take any gen eds at the bachelors and masters level.

Do you have to repeat the nursing courses such as fundamentals of nursing? If

that were the case, I would not recommend going through the Sanford Brown

program.

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