Accredited nursing schools allow nursing students to participate in federally funded and state-entitled nursing programs.
It provides a high standard of education and helps students develop the skills needed to learn effectively and proficiently.
It also allows students with previous education to attend other accredited colleges or universities.
In this case, students transfer their credits and continue their education elsewhere.
They can then apply their education to advanced studies to earn their BSN, MSN, or DNP nursing degree.
Colleges wishing to become accredited or maintain their accreditation must continually demonstrate their ability to provide students with adequate education and training.
In short, most institutions earn accreditation for a specific period (five to ten years).
Accredited schools must maintain their standards to keep their accreditation.
These institutions have a long history of ensuring nursing students pass the national licensing exam their state provides.
Schools that don’t maintain the commission’s necessary accreditation standards risk losing their accreditation.
Students attending accredited colleges can feel assured they are receiving the necessary education and training to be effective in nursing.
With that said, many accredited colleges and universities look for dedicated and highly motivated nursing students.
These students must have a high desire to succeed and show a certain level of competence in their studies.
Accredited nursing schools also face high student competition from those interested in getting accepted into a program.
Nevertheless, those accepted into the program receive an excellent education and can transfer to another school for further instruction.
Finally, attending an accredited college or university may improve nurses’ odds of employment in the healthcare industry.
Most employers prefer to hire students trained in a nationally established and accredited nursing school.
Accredited Nursing Schools Benefits:
- They’re nationally recognized
- It’s highly beneficial for a resume
- You’ll receive an excellent education
- It’s easier to transfer college/course credits
- Getting loans is less complicated
- It can help with employment opportunities
1. They’re Nationally Recognized
Accredited nursing schools receive national recognition from universities, employers, and the state.
As a result, it’s more straightforward for nursing students to qualify for loans and transfer college course credits.
It also ensures nursing students receive an excellent education that prepares them for their professional roles.
2. It’s Highly Beneficial For a Resume
Numerous non-accredited nursing schools offer reliable education and training for aspiring registered nurses.
Nevertheless, healthcare facilities want to know they’ve hired registered nurses with the best possible schooling.
Getting a degree from an accredited nursing school can help you land a career more quickly, especially in competitive settings.
3. You’ll Recieve an Excellent Education
As previously mentioned, students do not necessarily need to attend an accredited school to obtain an excellent education.
Nonetheless, receiving accreditation requires schools to meet rigorous education and professional and academic standards.
Accredited universities help guarantee aspiring, hard-working registered nurses will obtain an excellent education.
These schools may also be more challenging to enter with high GPA scores and prerequisite requirements.
4. It’s Easier to Transfer College Course Credits
Sometimes nursing school applicants apply to numerous schools to maximize their acceptance odds.
Highly sought-after nursing schools can be very challenging to enter.
As a result, being able to transfer course credits quickly to other institutes is essential.
Accredited schools make the process more effortless, as most colleges allow credit transfers to different nursing schools.
Nonetheless, it’s vital to determine whether you can transfer credits from a particular school before selecting a college.
It ensures you can transfer them quickly without any issues if you need to move to a different university.
5. Getting Loans is Less Problematic
Getting college loans to pay for nursing school is vital if you don’t plan on covering each semester directly out of pocket.
It’s less difficult to get a loan when you verify to the loan institution that you’re attending an accredited nursing school.
It provides these institutions with more security that you’ll receive a good education and can pay them back.
6. It Can Help with Employment Opportunities
As previously mentioned, numerous non-accredited schools offer excellent education for nursing students.
However, acquiring a degree from an accredited school can be beneficial when applying for a job in a competitive location.
All things considered equal, an employer may make their hiring decision based on the education the employee received.
It’s particularly advantageous for first-time hires who don’t have prior nursing experience.
Why Accreditation Matters
The nursing job market is highly competitive.
As a result, nurses must receive adequate education and training to prepare them for various healthcare roles.
Accredited institutions ensure students receive sufficient schooling to perform their duties properly.
Numerous employers require programmatic accreditation from nurses who want to operate at their hospital or institution.
Accredited institutions also enable students to be eligible for federal financial aid.
It makes it easier for nursing school participants to cover college expenses.
Besides that, transferring course credits to another institution is significantly more convenient.
Many universities do not accept course credits from non-accredited colleges and nursing programs.
As a result, you’ll save time and frustration by pursuing an accredited nursing school education.
How to Determine Whether a School is Accredited
There are numerous ways to determine whether a nursing school is accredited.
However, the most straightforward method is identifying whether they received accreditation from an official commission or counsel.
The following accrediting bodies maintain a database of the programs they’ve accredited.
Accrediting Bodies Include:
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
- The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia (COA)
- The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACME)
It’s important to understand that different accredited schools may receive distinct accreditations.
As a result, you may see some schools with one of the above accreditations but not the other.
The U.S. Department of Education approves the ACEN and CCNE and recognizes the COA and ACME specializations.
You can also ask the school to show you their accreditation to determine whether they’ve received approval.
Attending Non-Accredited Nursing Programs
Students receiving education from a non-accredited program may still obtain their license if it’s state approved.
However, some potential disadvantages exist depending on the school, state and employer.
It includes funding difficulties for college, potential challenges, problems transferring credits, and other complications.
Conversely, you may find non-accredited nursing programs less expensive and more convenient.
As a result, you must determine whether the non-accredited school has limits and if it’s worth the potential challenges.