Learning me Nursing Accreditation

So I know there's a few people here in the medical field. I need some help picking between to colleges. The college I'm going to right now has a two year wait once you get accepted to the nursing program. So I'm considering switching to a for profit school like ITT or Keiser.

So here's my problem. I checked the Florida Board of Nursing, both ITT and Keiser are accredited through them. However Keiser is also accredited through the Nation League of Nurses (the NLNAC I think it's called) and ITT is not. My advisor had no problem bad mouthing ITT, and saying that if they don't have their NLNAC the degree with be almost useless and I'll never work in a hospital.

I liked ITT better though. More friendly, and I liked their facilities better. So can you guys help me make heads or tails of this?

The program that is nationally accredited is your better bet. The ITT or National Colleges may be state accredited, but their credits don't transfer to any other school to pursue a higher level degree.

It is slowly becoming that you will need a BSN to do anything more then bedpans and bedmaking in a hospital.

My current program at a little teeny tiny community college is NLNAC accredited. https://s3.amazonaws.com/f.southernwv.edu/2012-CATALOG.pdf - page 2.

Ranger50 wrote: The program that is nationally accredited is your better bet. The ITT or National Colleges may be state accredited, but their credits don't transfer to any other school to pursue a higher level degree. It is slowly becoming that you will need a BSN to do anything more then bedpans and bedmaking in a hospital. My current program at a little teeny tiny community college is NLNAC accredited. https://s3.amazonaws.com/f.southernwv.edu/2012-CATALOG.pdf - page 2.

Yeah, from some further research I just did NLNAC is apparently a pretty big deal. And I've been warned from a few sources an ASN won't cut it for much longer. I'll definitely go back for my BSN, I just want to get my ASN first so I can start working. Thanks for the tip.

As to the ADN programs, I have the feeling, based on conversations with instructors, they will still be allowed, but you won't be able work after say 5 yrs of ADN completion. And to be honest, the difference in ADN to BSN is theory paperwork. You don't get any additional skills except how to BS better on paperwork.

You see it now with LPN's. They are still around producing LPN's, but you don't see them hired anymore in hospitals. LPN's might be able to get a nursing home/doctor's office gig easily in the future, but that is about as far as you are going to go without further education.

Yeah, avoid the LPN thing.....an ASN only takes a little longer. As stated before, the BSN is a safer bet. I've taught A&P to pre-nursing students at Keiser and at a local community college. Shoot me a PM if you want my candid opinions.

Not airing them here.

If it don't transfer across the country, don't bother with it. Call up Texas and California state gov's and ask them if both schools are acceptable for RN.

Oh, and I hear that nursing ain't all it's cracked up to be. That is, the "You'll be rich, or at least employed" stuff they are feeding you is BS. Look thoroughly into it first.

Yeah, the bad economy means that many nurses who were expected to retire have not. That means there's a mini-glut...won't last more than a couple years, but it is hard to find a nursing job in some areas:
http://www.npr.org/2011/05/09/136138374/sick-economy-means-nursing-jobs-harder-to-find

I'm not picking nursing just because of the money. I want to be a nurse, I want to help people, and I'm very interested in medicine, the human body, wellness etc. All of those things have played into this decision.

I'm only looking at the ASN programs. Being an LPN isn't what a I want, and besides I don't even know were to go for that. I'm just trying to find a good way to become an RN in a reasonable amount of time. And I'm starting to realize that's a lot to ask.

Dr. Hess wrote: If it don't transfer across the country, don't bother with it. Call up Texas and California state gov's and ask them if both schools are acceptable for RN. Oh, and I hear that nursing ain't all it's cracked up to be. That is, the "You'll be rich, or at least employed" stuff they are feeding you is BS. Look thoroughly into it first.

Certainly long-term it's a good option with the Baby boomers just starting to retire, no?

In reply to z31maniac:

It really depends on the how and where you specialize inside of nursing.

Drewsifer, check your email.

Ranger50 wrote: In reply to z31maniac: It really depends on the how and where you specialize inside of nursing.

That response indicates there are correct choices to be made.

School/accreditation matters. Check with a few hospitals on what their hiring standards are. Also quite a few will have internal programs that can go all the way from PCT to RN (hospital-paid). From there - MSN/specialty certification like ICU or OCN (oncology), surgical, anethesia or mid-level will crank up earning potential. Also check with national nursing temp agencies on what they look for - they place nurses all over the country. Agency works pays more than hospitals/practices but the benefits side and shifts can suck. FWIW, my first preference in hiring is a mid-level (nurse practitioner) followed by master's with OCN certification (cancer specialty center).