Providing education really has become a popular service and schools keep popping at an ever increasing rate. And acquiring an education is mandatory in quite a few careers, but ensuring that you find an accredited school is just as important as the courses you decide to take.
By finding an accredited nursing school, you are ensuring that you will have an easier time at becoming employed as a nurse and that you are then setting the stage to continuing your education down the road if you so chose to. Obtaining a nursing degree can lead to other opportunities including acquiring a Master’s degree or even continuing on to become a PHD.
So by obtaining the proper nursing school accreditation, you are also setting yourself up to be more marketable as potential employers can be assured that you have received the proper training as required by the national accreditation standards.
There are two national organizations accredit nursing education programs. The National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) which provides accreditation for all types of nursing education programs including master’s, baccalaureate, associate’s and diploma. As well as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) that accredits programs that offer only master’s and baccalaureate level nursing degrees.
As well as these two organizations, there are different accrediting standards for the more advanced practice nursing fields, which include becoming a nurse anesthetist and a nurse midwife. The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) accredits nurse anesthesia programs at the certificate, master’s and doctoral degree levels. And the American College of Nurse-Midwives Division of Accreditation (ACNM) accredits midwifery education programs.
In order to accredit a nursing school, most organizations use the same standards and criteria. However, something to watch for is the timing as nursing school accreditation is only valid for a certain timeframe that can vary. Make sure you check with the nursing school or the accrediting body to determine the length of time for which the school is accredited. And ensure that you determine if your chosen nursing school has the proper accreditations.
And how do you do that? Well it’s actually very simple. The NLNAC-accredited programs are usually identified with a logo that identifies this certification. Or simply call and ask the school that you are considering if they are accredited or not.
There are standards set for nursing schools in order for the nursing students to be eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) examination in that state. However, approval by a state board of nursing does not mean that the school is accredited by a national accrediting organization. However, usually if the school is accredited then it is usually also approved by its state board of nursing.
If you take the chance and enroll in a nursing school that may be approved within the state, but not by the national accreditation body, then you do take the risk that your hard earned degree won’t land you the job that you really want. So make sure you make a good decision when it comes to choosing your final nursing school.
And although this might not mean you can’t find a job, it might mean that if you chose to pursue more education to improve your employability or go for a different job that pays more money you might be limited. So really it’s just a good idea to find an accredited nursing school and not worry about having any problems in the future.