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Thread: Owens nursing program not accredited?

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    Super Moderator cougarnurse's Avatar
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    Owens nursing program not accredited?

    Heads up, folks! Nursing program not accredited - Friday, October 09, 2009 | Courier Electronic Edition - Findlay, Ohio: LOCAL NEWS

    Nursing students at Owens Community College may find themselves graduating from a school that is not nationally accredited.

    Owens' associate degree registered nursing program was denied its continuing accreditation this year from the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission's board of commissioners.

    How this will affect nursing students depends on the students' future plans, but it could make it harder to get out-of-state jobs or transfer to four-year colleges, said Dr. Sharon Tanner, the executive director and CEO of the accrediting agency, based in Atlanta.

    "There could be graduates in the meantime who would not graduate from an accredited program," Tanner said. "That is why we give two full years to (come into compliance). Because accreditation is so very important."

    Dr. Matthew McIntosh, a dean of Owens' school of health and sciences, said the school remains accredited in Ohio and students should be able to transfer their credits to area universities.

    "If you wanted to put icing on a cake, you would get this accreditation," he said Thursday. "It's not essential. It just makes it easier for the students."

    He said students can still take licensing exams and graduate from a state-accredited college.

    National accreditation is not required in Ohio, as it is in some states, but graduating from an accredited school is a plus for nursing students.

    Tanner said not all nursing programs in Ohio are nationally accredited, but it is encouraged. Because it is not required, she said lack of accreditation is not as big an issue in Ohio.

    "Being accredited is something of great value to the students," Tanner said Thursday. "It's unusual for a program to be denied because of noncompliance."

    Tanner said Owens was approved for accreditation "with conditions" two years ago.

    This year, the college was required to submit a report detailing the changes they made in order to continue to receive accreditation. However, the accrediting board found the college in noncompliance with several of the agency's standards.

    According to a letter written July 27 to Owens by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission Inc., all of the nursing school faculty members do not hold a degree with a major in nursing, and only six of 77 part-time faculty members hold a graduate degree with a major in nursing.

    The letter also stated that the nursing program is not compliant with several of the agency's educational effectiveness standards. Specifically, the program lacked evidence of "specific and measurable expected levels of achievement," along with a lack of evidence of job placement rates, among others.

    McIntosh did not want to discuss the specific standards with which the school was found in noncompliance, but said they had nothing to do with the program's curriculum content or with the performance of the faculty.

    He said Owens faculty is now fielding questions from students and doing everything they can to regain the national accreditation.

    Ranay Scott, the college's vice provost of academic affairs, said Owens has been calling several universities that normally take Owens' nursing students to complete their four-year degrees and, so far, all of them have agreed to continue to take Owens' students.

    However, she said the college does not know how long it will take to regain their national accreditation.

    Tanner said to regain accreditation, the college will have to "start from scratch."

    That means, in part, applying for candidacy and making sure that the college meets national standards. Tanner said how long it will take Owens to regain its national accreditation is up to the college.

    The pressure on the Owens' administration has been mounting, however, as word that the program is not nationally accredited has leaked to the students.

    The college will hold two public meetings, one today at noon at Owens' Perrysburg campus, and one at 9 a.m. Monday at the Findlay campus in Room 111.

    "Everybody has been trying to meet with advisors to see if they need to transfer to a different school," said Lubna Bazzy, an Owens student. "But they can't make appointments. They're all booked."

    She said four students banded together and demanded the college provide information about what losing accreditation will mean for them.

    McIntosh and other college representatives will speak at today's and Monday's forums.

    Bazzy is a pre-dental hygiene student in Findlay who is not sure whether the accreditation loss will affect her. She said if Owens' nursing program did not continue, it would be a great loss for Findlay because of what all the people the nursing program bring to the area.

    Scott said the college is doing everything it can to reinstate its accreditation.

    "We deeply value and respect the (National League for Nursing Accrediting)," she said. "And we are aggressively trying to get (the accreditation) back."

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    Super Moderator cougarnurse's Avatar
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    Re: Owens nursing program not accredited?

    Follow-up on the story: WKYC.com | Cleveland, OH | Ohio community college loses nursing accreditation

    A northern Ohio community college has lost an accreditation for its nursing program.

    Owens Community College near Toledo says it lost the accreditation from the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission because it did not submit the necessary paperwork.

    Officials says it won't stop students from getting jobs.

    Owens Vice Provost Renay Scott says the nursing program will continue on and that college officials are working to reapply for the accreditation.

    About 200 students are enrolled in nursing programs at Owens, which had been accredited with the nursing commission since 1974.

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    Super Moderator cougarnurse's Avatar
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    Re: Owens nursing program not accredited?

    Thanks for the post! I appreciate it.

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