What If the School That I Attended No Longer Exists?

[westieluv]

We may be moving from Michigan to Georgia for my husband's job. I was just looking over the Georgia State Board of Nursing website and it says that in order to apply for my RN license by endorsement, I have to prove that I graduated from an approved nursing program that is accredited by a regional accreditation board. Now here's the sticky part: I have been an RN for almost 22 years, and have both my Ohio (original license that I obtained by examination) and Michigan licenses. However, the nursing school that I attended no longer exists per se. When I went there it was called Mercy School of Nursing and was a hospital-based, RN diploma program. In the years since I graduated, it has become Mercy College of Ohio and offers both ADN and BSN degrees, but no longer offers diplomas.

I have been a licensed RN in good standing since 1990 and am currently working as a hospice nurse. I definitely meet the 3 months/500 hours recent work experience requirement, but how can I prove that the school that I attended, that for all intents and purposes no longer exists, is (was?) accredited?

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. It is critical that I find out before we move whether or not I will be able to work as a licensed RN in Georgia.

Thanks : )

[caliotter3]

I would call your state board and the state board of the state that you are moving to, to find out how to handle this. I suspect, however, that you will be able to get the new license with the old license, and will only have to list the school on the paperwork. Hopefully, it will be that easy. Good luck.

[westieluv]

Thanks, I hope it's that easy too! : )

[caliotter3]

I was just thinking, how are you supposed to be held to proving the school existed? Like when an employer moves their address or closes down. We don't put new addresses after researching, nor can we dredge from the grave an employer that no longer exists. I think that your present license should be sufficient attestation that you graduated from an accredited program. Graduation from an accredited school was dealt with at initial licensure. Thereafter, it would be only a matter of 'transferring' an existing license. If that makes sense. Good luck again.

[diligent-trooper]

The school has changed names is what I have gathered, and has adopted another degree program. The school should continue to have your paper work on file. I would contact this school you have named. The BON of your present state would be the next step to take if need be. They would have the information that you would need.

[elkpark]

Academic records are like medical records -- they can't just be tossed in the dumpster out back. The entity (school) that is closing has to make some arrangements for those records to still be available when graduates need transcripts, etc. If your school is now Mercy College of Ohio, they should still have all the old records. Have you contacted them?

I attended (back in the Dark Ages) a hospital-based diploma program that is no longer in operation, and, when the school was closing, they made sure that all the alums knew that our records were going to a local college that would be maintaining those records, and that was who we could contact in the future when we need transcripts mailed out. I have gotten transcripts sent out from the college several times over the years, and have never had a problem with them taking care of what I needed.

[westieluv]

Yep, I have requested transcripts from Mercy College of Ohio and they do maintain all of the records from when it was Mercy School of Nursing. I just don't know if they would be able to prove that my school was accredited, but I'm sure that they have probably had to deal with this before, so I am thinking that if and when we know for sure if my husband is being transferred then I will contact them and get the ball rolling.

Thanks for your reply. It is very helpful. : )