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The Questions
DOES YOUR SCHOOL HAVE REGIONAL ACCREDITATION?

 

  • Accreditation ensures that schools meet standards for quality education.  It also ensures that the credit hours you earn at one school meets minimum standards and allows you to transfer the credit hours to other schools.  This allows you to continue your education towards a bachelors, masters or doctoral degree.

  • Regional accreditation ensures that the school meets standards established by the US Department of Education

  • The most common regional accreditation in Florida is the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

 

Accreditation by the U.S. Department of Education is public information available at http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/

 

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR:

  • A nursing school that is licensed by the Florida Board of Nursing may not be accreditated!

  • The National Association for Independent Colleges and Universities, and the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida, are lobbying groups and are not accrediting bodies.

  • The Florida Commission for Independent Education is not an accrediting body. Any nonpublic school operating in Florida must be licensed by this DOE Commission.

DOES YOUR SCHOOL HAVE NURSING ACCREDITATION?

Nursing accreditation assures that the program meets national standards for nursing education and has an established record of student success. Accredited programs publish this information and it is also listed on the accrediting body website. Many graduate schools will not accept students with degrees from nursing schools that are not accredited by either the Collegiate Commission on Nursing Education (CCNE) or Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN, formerly NLNAC), even if the school is regionally accredited.
To see if the school you are considering has nursing accreditation visit:

Collegiate Commission on Nursing Education
www.aacn.nche.edu
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
www.acenursing.org

What to watch for:

  •     Ask if the school you are considering is accredited by either of the above Commissions.  If they are not accreditated, but say they have applied for accreditation you should be very cautious!

  • Ask what the pass rate for Nursing Board Examinations are for the school.  The average is about 90% pass rate for RNs and 84% pass rate for LPNs. Choose a school that is not more than 10 points below the national average.

  • Search Education & Training Information for Florida Board of Nursing approved schools and NCLEX pass rates at Florida Board of Nursing www.floridasnursing.gov

BEFORE ENROLLING IN A NURSING SCHOOL.....

 

You have made the right decision in wanting to become a registered nurse! 

 

A career as a registered nurse can be rewarding, provide you with opportunities to practice in many healthcare related fields and give you the chance to advance your education to practice in many different roles.

 

Yet the most important decision you will make is choosing the right nursing school!  Some nursing education programs may not adaquately prepare you to take the Registered Nurse Licensing examination (NCLEX)!

Some nursing education programs educational credits may not be accepted by other schools!  This could mean if you want to advance your education you would need to restart your nursing education from the beginning! 

And some nursing education program graduates have difficulty being hired after they graduate!

So before you enroll in ANY nursing education program make sure you have the answers to these important questions!

CHOOSING YOUR SCHOOL

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