Online Nursing Degree.. Help?!\?


This Question From LPN Nursing NCLEX | 2 Answers


I am an LPN student at the moment and I recently signed up for an do-it-yourself LPN to ADN program. It seems legit. The company is recognized by the NLN and is accredited in every faction. You enroll into the prereqs and various nursing classes, they send you your books, you study, let them know when you want to take the CLEP exam, fly out to a different state for a week for clinicals, and voila you’re an ADN. Then you take your NCLEX to become registered.

I’m excited and it all seems great. I’m not too worried about the lack of clinicals, because basically the only thing an RN does that a LPN can’t do is IV push which I’m sure is easily mastered with practice.

However, my mom, (RRT) says not to do it, because of the lack of clinical experience and that once a hospital sees how I got my degree, no one will hire me.

Is this true? I mean, if I passed the state boards, why wouldn’t they hire me? Not to mention the horrible nursing shortage everyone hears about!?

Should I go for it or not?? Any opinions??

2 Comments so far

  1. science chick on August 11, 2010 9:23 am

    I wouldn’t trust it. Do you really want the first day to push an IV to be the first day on the job? I highly doubt that this is legit. Even with the clinicals the increase in responsibility may be a shock, please try and make things easier on yourself and find a program that is concerned with preparing you to work and not just preparing you for the NCLEX. Being able to pass the test is not the same in being competent in the hands on side of the job.

    ADD: I read too quickly and didn’t realize there were some clinicals.

    One week still sounds really short to me, and why would you want to do clinicals in a state that may have different laws than the state you will work in? Obviously it is possible to move to another state, but it still sounds harder than doing it through a regular program in the state you plan on working in.

    The nursing shortage may not be bad (or existent) in your area. Even if they need someone, they still may not hire someone if they are not confident that they were trained suffiently. You represent the facility, and if you mess up because you didn’t get enough training then you will make the facility look bad, it may even be a legal liability for them to hire you. Even if it is acreditted, someone could claim that you messed up because the hospital didn’t use discretion when considering your odd little program.

  2. Jill on August 11, 2010 9:41 am

    Do you want to be a good nurse or not? There are no shortcuts in nursing. The clinical experience is so important, and one week is NOT enough to make you a competent RN. I am shocked that this program is accredited.