University refuses to accept credits from neighboring ADN program

[jmqphd]

We are a proprietary nursing school that is doing a bang up job producing well respected graduates. Our first time pass rate is 91.4%. Our placement rates are excellent. Our students are in high demand and doing well. 4 of our best decided to earn a little money and then go right back to school at our local university. They all did well and are about to graduate with their BSN's.

Suddenly that nursing program (whose NCLEX pass rate is significantly less than ours) has decided they don't want to accept credits from our school. Just ours. Credits from other ADN programs... no problem. Ours, not so much. And (isn't this wonderful) after our students have been there, meeting all requirements, doing very well academically... the University told them... ah, too bad guys. We've decided we don't like your credits after all and we're not going to give you the degrees we promised you.

You would think this was a University Campus-wide policy. But it isn't. Credits from schools like ours are accepted in any other department. It is only the School of nursing doing this, and it is only doing it to us.

Bigots.

[One1, BSN, RN]

Is your ADN program/school regionally accredited?

[valmor84]

The University where I teach does not transfer nursing credits from non--nationally- accredited proprietary schools in the region. It has nothing to do with bigotry.

We are AACN accredited, and our students (BSN and RN-BSN) can transfer or enroll only if their nursing credits are from a school that has undergone the rigorous accreditation process.

You have a laudable NCLEX pass rate; may I ask about your retention rate? While the pass rate in my school is not as high as yours (though quite close) we retain, on average, 90% of the students we admit.

[iteachob, MSN, RN]

I agree. It has everything to do with accreditation. STILL....doesn't sound right that they already have them as students (and about to graduate) and then tell them. That stinks.

[elkpark]

I agree it's likely all about accreditation. The proprietary schools are typically not regionally accredited -- is yours? I agree it's unfortunate that your graduates got close to graduating at the uni before they were told it wasn't going to work, but it was probably some sort of glitch on the uni's part that they got accepted in the first place.

And I also agree that NCLEX pass rate, by itself, isn't everything. One needs to know the attrition/retention rate in order for the NCLEX pass rate to be meaningful. We all know there are schools "out there" that keep their NCLEX rates high by finding a way to flunk out anyone who they suspect might not pass on the first go-round.

Or maybe the nursing program has decided it has some particular beef with your school, since you say other divisions of the uni will accept your school's courses ...

[jmqphd]

Our retention rate is very high. the vast majority that get into the clinical semesters will graduate... though sometimes they may need to repeat a course. We're even seeing that go down as a % because we're doing early and vigorous intervention. I recall when the auditors from ACICS came by they thought our retention rate figures were a typo or something... but they're for real. Are you counting (in terms of retention) students from their freshman year through to graduation? We have to include everyone from the day they walk through the doors to the day they graduate.

I understand your University having admission standards. The University in question does also. But ONLY the school of nursing has this bias. THey appear to be in violation of their own rules.

[jmqphd]

Not sure what you mean by nationally accredited. AACN is the agency that accredits schools awarding the BSN (like yours). NLNAC accredits ADN programs around the country. There are no other credentials that we can get. We've gotten them all.

[valmor84]

We have multiple proprietary schools in the that are accredited by the state, or by organizations like the "The Commission of the Council on Occupational Education."We don't accept those credits.

If you are NLNAC accredited, it is very puzzling why the credits from your school would not be accepted. It sounds like the administrative teams from each school need to meet, and figure out what can be done to resolve the issue. You should have a chance to know what the concerns are, and be permitted to address them.

Finally, we track retention from admission to the school of nursing (sophomore year). We do a pretty good job of retaining them once they get to us!

I am sorry for your former students, who appear to have been admitted, then denied progression. NOT a good thing.