What If My Nursing School Isn’t Accredited?
How important is it to attend an accredited nursing school? You may be going through a time where you just found out that your nursing school is not or was not accredited, or you may be reading this because you are thinking of attending a nursing school that is unaccredited. Read on to find out more about how important nursing school accreditation is.
Will My Ability to Take the NCLEX Exam Be Affected?
Some questions that students often ask are:
- Can I take the NCLEX exam if I graduated from a school that was not accredited?
- If I am able to take the NCLEX and pass, will the fact that I graduated from a school that was not accredited affect me in any way during the job-hunting process?
First, eligibility and approval for the NCLEX exam is solely up to your state's Board of Nursing (BON). You must meet very strict requirements to take the NCLEX. These requirements vary from state to state. For more detailed information on what your state requires, visit your state's BON website, give them a call, email them, or set up a time that you can go and speak with someone.
So, can you take the NCLEX if you graduated from a school that was not accredited? The answer is maybe. Some state boards say that as long as you have attended nursing school, completed the required clinical hours, and received the minimum passing grade, then you can take the state board's NCLEX. For those who do not know the NCLEX, it stands for National Council Licensure Examination. It is a national exam every RN must take and pass to receive their licensure.
However, if you’ve graduated from a nursing school that doesn’t hold proper accreditation, your state board may choose not to let you take the NCLEX, especially if they feel you have not fulfilled all the necessary requirements during your schooling. Not being able to take the exam is uncommon, but it does happen, which means you will not be able to obtain your registered nursing license.
It is always important to look into the accreditation of the school you plan to attend BEFORE fully committing yourself so you can be ready for any issues.
As far as the job search and employers go, there really is no definite answer, although most jobs do prefer that you have graduated from an accredited school. Suppose the choice is between a candidate who did not graduate from an accredited nursing school and one who did. In that case, most employers will choose the candidate with the accredited nursing degree.
My School Is Not Accredited…Now What?
Let's say you graduated from a school that was not accredited, but your state board has granted you permission to take the NCLEX despite this. You'll then have the chance to take the exam to get your license. But, let's say you graduated from a school that was not accredited, and your state board has chosen to deny you from taking the exam. Sadly, despite this setback, you cannot travel from state to state trying to find a state board that will allow you to take the NCLEX. A good first step is to ask your school if they are in the process of becoming accredited. Accreditation takes time, and there’s a chance that the process is already in motion.
Suppose, for example, you have completed an unaccredited Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) program and gained licensure due to your state’s BON allowing you to take and pass the NCLEX exam. You now want to apply to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program that requires prior graduation from an accredited school. In that case, your BSN school may ask you to complete or re-take some required courses in order to become eligible – or they may deny you outright. These things will ultimately depend on your specific circumstances, the degree level you are applying to, your state, and the schools involved.
The bottom line is that a registered nursing degree from an unaccredited school/program puts you at risk for:
- Not being eligible to take the NCLEX licensure exam
- Limiting your employment options (especially for healthcare employers who require accredited degrees)
- Having trouble with continuing your nursing education – particularly graduate-level nursing programs that have strict requirements and often reject applicants without a prior accredited nursing degree
For more precise information on what your options are if you have an unaccredited registered nursing degree, it is best to contact your state's BON.
What Does It Mean for Your School to Be Accredited?
When your school is accredited, it means they are operating at an acceptable level according to the accrediting institution, which looks at many factors to assess academic excellence. Different agencies decide whether they would like to accredit a school. The U.S. Secretary of Education maintains a list of legitimate accrediting agencies. Most nursing programs are accredited through organizations such as the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). It’s important to note that if your school is not accredited, you may be limited in receiving financial aid funds.
All these factors are very important to consider when choosing a nursing school to attend. Keep in mind the downfalls of an unaccredited school. Taking the NCLEX already has strict requirements, so you do not want to add any stress to the process. Furthermore, it is best to try to attend a properly accredited school to save yourself trouble in the long run. Taking a little time out to research before enrolling in a nursing program can save you both time and money.
