Nursing Students Sue College Over Promises

CHICAGO (CN) - Five nursing students claim in court that Robert Morris College lied about its accreditation, the programs it offers and the transferability of its credits.

Megan Eble and four others sued Robert Morris College aka Robert Morris University Illinois, in Cook County Court.

Robert Morris College claims to have more than 7,000 students at several campuses in and around Chicago. The plaintiffs are students and former students of the school's Applied Science Degree in Nursing (ASDN) program.

"During the admissions process and while she was a student at Robert Morris College, the admissions department at Robert Morris College assured Megan Eble that all credits earned in the ASDN were fully transferable should she choose to continue her education at another institution," the complaint states.

"Prior to the 2008-2009 school year, Robert Morris College offered to place Megan Eble, if accepted into the ASDN program, in student clinical rotations at local Chicago hospitals and medical centers to gain hospital experience."

Eble says that college "through its brochures and website," and that during the admissions process, the college promised her "that she would conduct her student clinical rotations in Chicago at Rush University Medical Center, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and/or Children's Memorial Hospital."

But Eble says: "At no time during her enrollment in the ASDN program at Robert Morris College did Robert Morris College offer Megan Eble the opportunity to conduct a student clinical rotation at any of the aforementioned hospitals in Chicago.

"Upon information and belief, no Robert Morris College ASDN students conducted student clinical rotations at any of the aforementioned hospital during the 2008-2009 school year."

That's breach of contract, Eble says in the complaint.

She adds: "During her time as a student at Robert Morris College, Megan Eble's classmates applied for a Student Nurse Assistant internship at Rush Hospital.

"Megan Eble's classmates were informed by Rush Hospital that Robert Morris College's ASDN students were not eligible for the internship because Robert Morris College's ASDN program was not accredited."

Eble claims that Robert Morris forced her to withdraw after the first day of her fourth quarter of classes because she did not get a score of 90 percent or higher on a dosage-calculation test. She claims, "less than 15 percent of Megan Eble's classmates obtained a score of 90 percent or above on the dosage test administered on the first Monday of the fourth quarter."

She adds: "After being forced to withdraw from Robert Morris College's ASDN program, Megan Eble attempted to enroll at Moraine Valley Community College.

"Out of the twelve classes that Megan Eble successfully completed at Robert Morris College as part of the ASDN program, only one transferred to another institution.

"Because the credits obtained from Robert Morris College did not transfer, Megan Eble had to pay tuition at another institution to retake the same classes she had already successfully completed at Robert Morris College."

Eble's co-plaintiffs make similar allegations. They seek damages for breach of contract and fraud.

They are represented by Nathan Mirocha.

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