California Judge Upholds Licensing Rules, Denying Nightingale College's Legal Shortcut
A ruling against Nightingale College means hundreds of nursing graduates may still need additional clinical training to be licensed in California.
Hundreds of nursing graduates face uncertainty over whether they will need to complete additional classroom or clinical training before becoming licensed nurses in California, following a judge’s decision against their college. Sacramento Superior Court Judge Stephen Acquisto rejected Nightingale College’s request for immediate legal relief on Friday, finding the school’s arguments unlikely to succeed.
The ruling means the broader lawsuit between the Utah-based college and state regulators will proceed, but Nightingale failed to secure a quick resolution for its graduates.
At the center of the dispute is California’s requirement that nursing license applicants complete 500 hours of direct patient care. Nightingale argues that the state cannot impose this standard on an out-of-state institution, while state regulators maintain that all applicants must meet California’s minimum training requirements, regardless of where they obtained their degrees.
State officials have expressed concern that graduates practicing without the required clinical preparation could pose risks to patients, particularly in specialized areas like obstetrics and pediatrics. Nightingale has countered that there is no evidence its alumni have provided anything less than high-quality care and points out that nearly 2,000 of its graduates have previously obtained California nursing licenses without issue.
For graduates like Rachel Baxter, a San Diego resident, the legal battle has created significant personal stress. Baxter told ABC 10 news that she received death threats after the outlet reported on the controversy in August. The state nursing board cautioned that threatening graduates could jeopardize their license applications, while Nightingale condemned the threats as unacceptable.
Despite this judicial setback, Nightingale College stated it intends to continue challenging the state’s requirements and exploring academic options for affected students. The next significant legal development is anticipated in February, when the court is expected to review the board's motion to dismiss the lawsuit entirely.