Schools under fire! Fake Degrees Caught!

Nurses Headlines

Updated:   Published

Do you have fake nursing degree?

Have y'all heard about the fake degree scandal in Florida? Over 7,600 degrees handed out for a cash price..?

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

See allnurses extensive discussion here:

Along with NY forum since Spring 2002:

 

Concerns regarding a specific new nurses practice needs to be discussed first with the nurse, then addressed to their preceptor, shift lead or nurse manager depending on severity of issue. Sitting with a patient for 30min of itself not a problem  ---could be doing patient teaching, providing emotional support or troubleshooting patient concern.   If this is their first hospital position, may be very different from prior practice setting. Provide coaching and give them time to adjust to unit; clearly floundering not improving with coaching, bring issue up to the unit hierarchy.

1 Votes
Specializes in Psych.

Thank you. I've been doing all you have suggested.  Tried discussing it, she assures me she's been in practice 7 years.  I've given her time to adjust, this is not her first nursing job. Have had patient complaints, staff complaints, management complaints.  Nurses look out for one another, and this one concerns me.  I'm concerned that this is happening in the profession in general.  Is it due to a lack of nurses willing to educate?  How can we fix this?   I've seen throughout my years of practice a continuing lack of respect for us from higher disciplines. Anyone have any links to legislative measures being taken?  I'd like to get more involved.

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Threads merged.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

NJ BON News 3/9/2023:

New Jersey Board of Nursing Rescinds 20 Nursing Licenses and Nullifies 26 Temporary Licenses Implicated in DOJ Investigation of Fraudulently Issued Nursing Diplomas
 

Quote

 

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin is announcing today that the nursing licenses of 20 New Jersey medical professionals have been rescinded following the United States Department of Justice's investigation into allegations of fraudulently issued Florida nursing diplomas.

The 20 nurses received Notices of Rescission demanding they cease and desist any nursing practice in the State of New Jersey. The respondents are also required to notify their employers about the notices. Any respondent that continues to practice nursing in New Jersey could face further fines or penalties. Each individual will have the opportunity to provide evidence to the Board of Nursing that they have received the appropriate education and training to have their license reinstated.

Additionally, 26 individuals holding a temporary license through the Division of Consumer Affairs' Temporary Emergency Reciprocity Licensure Program had their temporary licenses rendered null and void as the Board of Nursing voted to deny their pending applications for plenary licenses.  Accordingly, these individuals must also cease and desist from engaging in the practice of nursing in New Jersey. ...

The 46 individuals referenced above have been flagged in the National Council of State Boards of Nursing nationwide data system...

 

 

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Updating  Board of Nursing actions regarding fraudulent nursing applications post Operation Nightingale:

Maryland BON update June 6, 2023 :  Operation Nightingale and the Fraudulent Nursing School Investigation -- 21 Maryland Nurses licenses suspended.

VA BON May 2023 disciplinary actions   - 5 mandatory suspensions due to fraudulent education

 

Philadelphia Inquirer  May 30, 2023

Pa. officials tell 18 nurses: Prove your credentials aren't fake or face discipline

Quote

....It took Pennsylvania six more months to act. ....All 18 of the licensees under scrutiny by Pennsylvania's nursing board were on that  (Operation Nightingale) list. In their applications, they submitted degrees and transcripts from one of two schools run by Napoleon: Med-Life Institute-West Palm Beach or Palm Beach School of Nursing, an Inquirer review found....

Amy Gulli, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of State, which oversees the nursing board, said the 18 licensees now facing administrative charges "must be given due process.” She declined to say when the FBI first alerted Pennsylvania's board to the scam, citing a law prohibiting disclosure of "confidential" investigations. She said the state's investigations generally "take time.”...

...No students have been criminally charged in "Operation Nightingale.” If found to have submitted bogus degrees and transcripts, Pennsylvania's board can suspend, revoke or restrict their license and impose a civil penalty. Of the 18 registered nurses facing scrutiny, six currently hold temporary licensing permits....

One nurse named in this article with Philadelphia address had their 2019 DE license revoked; Nursys shows a 2018 NY state license that's active., unable to locate name in PA's license verification system.

Nursys now lists my PA/NI/DE licenses since these states aree now part of compact, only PA active as I asked for inactive status in NJ/DE as no longer providing IV infusion home care those states.

Florida:

In the Spring 2023 issue of Florida Nursing Quarterly – Vol. 9 Issue 2  page 6,  the article "Message from the board chair"  states that the Education Committee beginning in Spring 2022 had intense discussions over discrepancies observed in nurse applicants transfer credits, theory hours attended and overall clinical hours in training hence decision to request Face to Face meetings from applicants with questionable applications.  Checking prior year of BON meeting minutes, appears efforts began in earnest starting in October 2022 as scant monthly action re Non-Compliance with Section 464.008, FS Licensure by Examination noted in prior meeting minutes.

 April `2-14 14th BON meeting minutes

  • Pending Formal Denial: 35 nurse applicants, allowing them to withdraw application
  • Non-Compliance with Section 464.008, FS Licensure by Examination:  76 applicants  most required to make an appearance before board with a few being allowed to withdraw application.

February 1, 2023 BON meeting minutes

  • Non-Compliance with Section 464.008, FS Licensure by Examination:  96 applicants required to make an appearance before board

December 1, 2022 BON meeting minutes

  •  Non-Compliance with Section 464.008, FS Licensure by Examination: 127 applicants -most  required to make an appearance before board 

 October 5 - October 7, 2022 BON meeting minutes

  •  Non-Compliance with Section 464.008, FS Licensure by Examination: 195 applicants - 10 permitted to withdrawal application, remainder required to make an appearance before board.

Will post further info found during my future internet wanderings.

1 Votes
Specializes in LTC.

Sure do appreciate all your labor in keeping us all updated. ❤️

3 Votes
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Official Statement: The Oregon State Board of Nursing and Operation Nightingale

Updated July 7, 2023
 

Quote

 

...To date, out of the 7,600 potential fraudulent graduates of the three Florida nursing programs involved with the alleged scheme, the number of identified individuals in Oregon who may be involved with active Oregon licenses is approximately six. Cases against two of those individuals were dismissed during the February 22 board meeting. Approximately 10 individuals have active applications for licensure. The Board has not received any reports of patient harm related to the identified individuals of concern.
During the May 17 board meeting, the board took action on four of the cases. It voted to accept one voluntary withdrawal of RN application, issue three notices of denial of application, and issue one notice of revocation of LPN license.
During the June 21 board meeting, the board took action on three of the cases.  It voted to accept three voluntary withdrawals of RN applications.

This is a complex investigation due to the federal and state-level concerns, and the fact that the nursing programs involved, all of which were in other states (not Oregon), at one time held legitimate credentials.....

 

 

1 Votes
Specializes in CVICU, CCU, Paramedic.

Feels like a real lack of integrity by the schools and the students with all this mess.

1 Votes
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Washington Nursing Commission names schools associated with Florida investigation and denies related nursing applications (update)

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July 21, 2023, Tumwater, WA – In conjunction with an ongoing investigation into the legitimacy of multiple Florida-based nursing schools, the Washington state Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission (NCQAC) takes action to rescind licenses or deny applicant licenses associated with certain Florida-based nursing schools.

These schools have been identified as participants in the scheme to issue fraudulent nursing diplomas and supporting documents through a federal investigation known as Operation Nightingale. The federal agents involved in Operation Nightingale advise nursing regulatory bodies to carefully review any license applications associated with graduates of these programs: 

  • Carleen Health Institute
  • Carleen Home Health School II
  • Ideal Professional Institute, Inc.
  • Jay College of Health LLC
  • Med-Life Institute – West Palm Beach
  • Med-Life Institute of South Florida
  • Med-Life Institute School of Nursing
  • Palm Beach School of Nursing
  • Quisqueya Health Care Academy
  • Quisqueya School of Nursing
  • Sacred Heart International Institute Inc.
  • Siena College of Health
  • Siena College of Health II LLC
  • Siena Education Center LLC
  • Sigma College
  • Sigma Institute of Health Careers
  • Sunshine Academy
  • Techni-Pro Institute
  • The Enfimye Institute

https://nursing.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-07/News-Release-FL-Case-Action-List-2023-07-21.pdf

 

 

0 Votes
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Texas Board of Nursing Operation Nightingale Update

Starting in February 2023, the BON has taken action against licensed nurses who obtained licenses using fraudulent nursing education/ diplomas from schools involved in Operation Nightingale.  

Licensure Denial 3 applicants

Disciplinary action taken  15 nurses voluntarily surrendered licenses while 2 had licenses revoked.

Filed Formal Charges 120 nurses have pending cases before BON.

Quote

The Board has filed Formal Charges against the following nurses for fraudulently obtaining educational credentials. The Board is authorized to file Formal Charges against a nurse if probable cause exists that the nurse has committed an act listed in Tex. Occ. Code §301.452(b) or that violates other law. See Tex. Occ. Code §301.458. Further, Formal Charges are publicly available. See Tex. Occ. Code §301.466(b). Please note that Formal Charges are not a final disciplinary action, and a nurse is permitted to work, as a nurse, while Formal Charges are pending

TX BON is updating their website as licenses and applications reviewed. Once can review information BON sent each nurse.

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I passed NCLEX RN, last year. I never receive the license because my school is under review. I'm' supposed to start Lpn program next month January, somebody told me I won't be able to register for the NCLEX-Lpn because I pass the RN already. Anybody have info about that?

Thank you in advance.

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Yes I've heard of this, it came out early in the year, but anybody contemplating  a for profit school for nursing, or anything else, should scrutinize it carefully and then check again, then enroll at  a community college or a reputable state  university. I can't say I have a lot of sympathy for those who fell into this trap and I suspect that many, most?, knew what it was about.

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