Story of New Job Teaching at Unaccredited LPN School

[dirtroadbsn]

On a whim I decided to apply for a LPN teaching job on Craigslist (I had been taking time off- doing other fun things after 23 years and lots of ICU work) I got the job. I have never taught before and was very naive!

Its in a office building in my city- all international staff and students. Overall it feels pretty fly-by-night and disorganized; I got no orientation, no mentor, no job description, no benefits (of course); my salary was put in writing so that was good and I've received the first 2 paychecks hand-delivered. (which funny thing, the receptionist whispers to me- "make sure you go straight to the bank and deposit that- do not wait til tomorrow!")

They promised that the powerpoint lectures were already done; truth: they only have 1 functioning projector and 2 broken ones and there are no such slides in reality. They said all the tests and lecture notes are done for you: truth- the previous instructor's notes are so full of typos and grammatical mistakes that I have to redo them. I teach 5 hours of new content everyday Monday thru Friday which means I have not slept very much- but then the courses only last a few weeks and then I take the students to clinicals and it eases up.

All the clinicals are done at a single nursing home (fundamentals, med-surg, psych, geriatrics) The maternity/peds clinicals are at a day care center. I really feel sorry for these students because they are getting scammed on the clinical side. No real variety of experience at all.

This is one of those accelerated 1 year programs- alot of the students have very low level of English skills so alot of my lectures are teaching English not nursing. ("Involuntary means not willing to do something"- ) The students do work hard- and several will make good nurses but a few need more english training before tackling any more medical terminology.

I had been there for 3 weeks when they asked me to be the Assistant Director of Nursing! What? I said sure why not? I suspect this is probably because the state board is coming to review them soon for accreditation and they wanted a BSN from the US to help their credibility. (?) I have no idea.

The school director/founder drives a slick new black Mercedes. For-profit college indeed! Seriously, you cannot make this stuff up.

Anyway, I've survived five weeks- taught Psych and Geriatrics-(no experience in either); will hang on til Xmas and then bail out before it gets any more bizarre.

Anyone else out there have experience in the tiny for-profit sketchy nursing school world?

[mysnurse]

Wow, your experience is similar to mine. I definitely know why non accredited schools and these type of facilities are not respected. Many of these for profit schools are sketchy and will admit anyone that comes through the door. Based on what your experience details you all will likely fail accreditation and in the long run the students will suffer. It definitely takes a " different type of person" to work at these schools. Best of luck to you..

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Just. Plain. Wow.

[thenursemandy]

If I were a student I would feel disappointment and resentment for the lack of proper clinicals. Daycare center for Maternal/ Peds? Not cool.

[lepew]

Oh. My. I have no other words

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

I would worry about the legal implications of staying in this job, especially if the students end up ineligible to take the NCLEX.

[dirtroadbsn]

Mysnurse

Thanks- I'd like to hear more of your experience- my school has a 'provisional' status with the state board- I really don't think it deserves full accreditation even though that would help the students with financial aid and with getting jobs of course. Yes this school admits anyone who can pay- they don't need an actual GED if they sign a form saying that their school document was destroyed in 'war, natural disaster or fire'. (which considering where alot of these students come from is not that unusual I suppose)

[delawaremalenurse]

Anyway, I've survived five weeks- taught Psych and Geriatrics-(no experience in either); will hang on til Xmas and then bail out before it gets any more bizarre.

Leaving= smart...very smart

[llg, PhD, RN]

Have you considered the ethical implications of supporting this school? I can understand being naive, but I don't think I could take advantage of these students by continuing to teach there once I knew how bad it is. I would feel like I was being "part of the problem" in our profession -- and scamming the students -- if I supported the school.

[mysnurse]

I worked at a place similar to this for a short time. I immediately realized the goal of the "school" and I use that term loosely. Was to let in as many students as possible. Every decision relates back to financials. Best of luck to you

I would suggest you get out, and get out fast...

[dirtroadbsn]

Thanks for the comments-

I do understand the advice to get out- but I am torn a bit- not because I love it but because the job taps into larger issues we are facing as a country (US). These students are immigrants (legal- as there is no way you can walk here from where they are from) they need jobs- LPN nursing has many opportunities especially for those willing to care for the aging population which we know is growing year by year. They are getting a good basic nursing education which will allow them to pass the NCLEX (maybe not on the first try- but most will pass) So I feel like I'm helping them get on their feet and move up in life. (Most are CNA's already) We all know there is a shortage of nursing school enrollment space. I can say from having sat in on a few my fellow instructors classes that they know their stuff.

So despite the incompetent profiteering management, the students are getting the basics of what they pay for. One of my students travelled half way across the country to go to this school because it was cheaper than any in her city. She will return home once finished with the program. Yes there are some students which do not have the skills for nursing school, but there are those in every program. I also know from having a graduate (non-nursing) degree from a major university that there are diploma mills that come in all sizes, shapes and reputations.

So I guess I defend the students but not the school itself-

anyway- thanks for listening!

[elkpark]

These students are immigrants (legal- as there is no way you can walk here from where they are from)

Just FYI -- there are plenty of illegal immigrants in the US who came here from places from which you can't "walk here;" that, by itself, is no indication of their status whatsoever.

One other consideration about your situation is that, if you have any interest in furthering your career in nursing education, the longer you are affiliated with a school like this, the less appealing you will be to more legitimate, respected schools of nursing as an applicant (for teaching positions) in the future. Schools will be willing to consider that you made an innocent mistake taking a job at this school and then left as soon as you realized the nature of the place, but they will have different views of someone who chooses to continue teaching at a school like the one you're describing. And nursing is a pretty small "club," particularly nursing education. People have a general idea of what other schools are like, and schools' reputations "get around."

Best wishes for your journey!