International College of Health Sciences

Nursing Students School Programs

Updated:   Published

Hi Everyone,

I'm new here and hopefully I'm posting this in the right area. I'm currently an LVN in Ca and looking into a 1 year LVN-RN on-line program based out of Fl. The name of the school is called International College of Health Sciences based out of Boyton Beach, Fl. I was just wondering if anyone here has had some experiences in dealing with this school, currently attending, or could provide any insight into the program. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks

3 Votes

How do you do clinicals if it's online?

1 Votes
Specializes in PICU.

I would check to see if they are accreddited. You will be doing a completely different mindset of nursing, only 1 year? Rn - BSN programs are sometimes longer than that. I would closely look at this program as it raises a few red flags in my opinion.

1 Votes

I tend to be suspicious of US schools that have "international" in the name of the school. Looking at the website, it looks like they are a proprietary (for-profit) vocational school, but it does say that they are a candidate for ACEN accreditation. They do not have regional academic accreditation, so you can assume that credits earned there will not be accepted by "regular" colleges and universities if/when you want to return to school later to further your education (it's possible that you could find a school that would accept the credits, but it's certainly not a given). Looks like it is a new school; the FL BON website only has NCLEX results for last year and this year. For 2017, they graduated 4 students, total, and had a 75% NCLEX pass rate, and, so far in 2018, they've graduated 18 students, with an 83.3% pass rate. Those are not encouraging results.

If it's an online program, how do they handle the clinical requirements (I see nothing about that on the school's website), and do you know that the CA BRN will accept the program for licensure? (The CA BRN has had objections to other distance learning programs.) Or are you not planning on staying in CA?

Color me skeptical.

3 Votes

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the feedback. The ADN program is 2 years. The school states that as a LVN you have the ability to test out of the 1st year of the program by successfully passing fundamentals of nursing. As for clinicals, you would physically have to be in Fl to complete the hours needed to obtain a license. So I would have to fly back and fourth to complete my clinical hours. I did check on the Fl BON, and the school is licensed, but does not hold an accreditation just yet. My hopes were to complete the program, obtain a RN license in Fl, and then endorse my license to Ca. I called the BON in Ca and they did not provide me much information if the would allow me to transfer my license. The only reason I even looked into this school is because it has become increasingly hard to get into ADN programs here in CA.

2 Votes

I am certain you can find a closer, accredited school with a better NCLEX pass rate. Florida is notorious for allowing shady fly by night schools. You are really planning on flying from California to Florida for clinicals every week? The flights and hotel costs would be insane. I'm certain there are many, many, many better options.

1 Votes
Specializes in PICU.

Also... if the school does not have accreditation that could impact your ability to sit for the boards. Also... you need to make absolute certain if you are staying in CA that the CA BONs would accept that school for licensure. I would just be very cautious about it. What is special about this school that you cannot find in CA?

1 Votes
mario3692 said:
Hi everyone,

Thanks for the feedback. The ADN program is 2 years. The school states that as a LVN you have the ability to test out of the 1st year of the program by successfully passing fundamentals of nursing. As for clinicals, you would physically have to be in Fl to complete the hours needed to obtain a license. So I would have to fly back and fourth to complete my clinical hours. I did check on the Fl BON, and the school is licensed, but does not hold an accreditation just yet. My hopes were to complete the program, obtain a RN license in Fl, and then endorse my license to Ca. I called the BON in Ca and they did not provide me much information if the would allow me to transfer my license. The only reason I even looked into this school is because it has become increasingly hard to get into ADN programs here in CA.

CA won't allow you to just automatically get a license by endorsement if you're licensed in another state; you still have to meet all the CA requirements, including their requirements about nursing education programs (that's true of all states, not just CA). If graduating from that program wouldn't allow you to get initial licensure in CA, you won't be able to get a license by endorsement, either.

1 Votes

I know about the school. People have gotten licensed in California via their program. Clinicals are done in Florida. You do the course work at home then have travel to Florida as needed to do clinicals. California is TOXIC and the BRN is notorious. I made my escape long ago.

3 Votes
Specializes in Corrections & Developmental Disabilities.

I'm currently enrolled in International College of Health Sciences. The school is accredited and the degrees are accepted nationwide for RN licensure. Their NCLEX pass rates are comparable to national averages. ICHS accepts credits from other schools, CLEP, DANTES, etc. General education and nursing theory coursework may be completed remotely. Clinical training is done in Florida and may be scheduled throughout the course or as a block at the end of the program. Several nurses have transitioned from LVN/LPN to RN through this route and successfully endorsed their licenses to California.

9 Votes

Hi, I'm Zhana, I do understand that you’re a current student of the international college of health science. Do you have your old books that I can buy or how does it work in terms of lectures? I'm looking into starting in June 2019. Any heads up will be highly anticipated. You can email me at [email protected]

2 Votes

I know of someone who attended this college before. If you need uniforms x-small PM me.

1 Votes
+ Add a Comment