{"id":507041,"date":"2026-10-25T00:38:12","date_gmt":"2026-10-25T00:38:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/507041\/"},"modified":"2026-10-25T00:38:12","modified_gmt":"2026-10-25T00:38:12","slug":"california-nursing-grads-could-face-costly-retraining-after-judge-rejects-colleges-bid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/507041\/","title":{"rendered":"California nursing grads could face costly retraining after judge rejects college\u2019s bid"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hundreds of nursing graduates could face an expensive return to the classroom after a California judge<\/a> refused to give their college a legal shortcut <\/a>around the state\u2019s licensing dispute.<\/p>\n

The ruling against Utah-based Nightingale College means graduates still face uncertainty over whether they\u2019ll need another semester or more of clinical training before they can become licensed nurses in California<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sacramento Superior Court<\/a> Judge Stephen Acquisto rejected the school\u2019s request for immediate legal relief Friday, finding its arguments unlikely to prevail. <\/p>\n

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In a photo provided by Nightingale College website, online nursing graduates face delays and potential repeated semesters after a judge ruled against the college. Nightingale College<\/p>\n

The broader lawsuit will continue, but the college failed to secure the quick win it wanted for its graduates.<\/p>\n

At the heart of the fight is California\u2019s requirement that nursing applicants complete 500 hours of direct patient care before receiving licenses. <\/p>\n

Nightingale argues the state cannot impose that standard on an out-of-state school, while regulators say every applicant must meet California\u2019s minimum training requirements, regardless of where they earned a degree.<\/p>\n

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Recent Nightingale Grad Rachel Baxter speaks to ABC 10 news about the Nightingale College graduation limbo she is in. ABC 10 News<\/p>\n

Recent Nightingale Grad Rachel Baxter speaks to ABC 10 news about the Nightingale College graduation limbo she is in. ABC 10 News<\/p>\n

State officials have warned that allowing graduates to practice without the required clinical preparation could put patients at risk, particularly in specialties such as obstetrics and pediatrics.<\/p>\n

Nightingale has pushed back, telling the court there was no evidence its alumni had provided anything other than the \u201chighest quality of medical care.\u201d<\/p>\n

The college also argues the state\u2019s position is unfair, noting that nearly 2,000 of its graduates have previously obtained California nursing licenses without incident.<\/p>\n

Recent Nightingale Grad Rachel Baxter speaks to ABC 10 news about the Nightingale College graduation limbo she is in. ABC 10 News<\/p>\n

But for graduates caught in the dispute, the legal battle has become more than a question of coursework.<\/p>\n

Rachel Baxter, a San Diego resident who described her struggle to obtain a license to ABC 10<\/a>, said she received death threats after the outlet covered the controversy in August.<\/p>\n

In a photo provided by Nightingale College website, online nursing graduates face delays and potential repeated semesters after a judge ruled against the college. Nightingale College<\/p>\n

The state nursing board warned that threatening graduates could provide grounds to deny a license, while Nightingale condemned the threats as \u201cunacceptable at every level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the setback, the college says it plans to keep fighting the state\u2019s requirements and continue exploring academic options for affected students.<\/p>\n

The next major showdown is scheduled for February, when the court is expected to consider the board\u2019s motion to dismiss the lawsuit.<\/p>\n

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