accreditation for nursing schools

Accreditation and nursing schools

• What is accreditation? According to the U.S. Department of Education, accreditation is a review process used by higher education institutions and programs to ensure that they meet a set of academic standards. In order for an institution or program to receive federal financial aid funding, it must be accredited by a reputable agency that has been recognized by the Secretary of Education.
• What is the process of accreditation? The first step in the process is self-study, where the school or program being reviewed provides evidence that it meets the established criteria for approval. This can include student learning outcomes, faculty qualifications and other evidence related to institutional mission and success at providing quality education for students. After that comes an on-site evaluation of the college or university followed by a determination as to whether or not it will be granted accreditation status from the agency conducting the review.
• What is the difference between institutional and specialized accreditation? Institutional accreditation evaluates all of a school’s academic programs as well as its non-academic issues such as student services and administration while specialized focuses on individual departments within an institution such as business or nursing schools.
• What is the difference between regional and national accreditation? A regional organization covers either part of one state such as New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) which serves Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Hampshire; most often an entire state like Western Association of Schools and Colleges which includes California; most commonly states within a region like Middle States Commission on Higher Education which reviews schools in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and DC; or several states like Southern Association of Colleges & Schools (SACS) covering Florida all the way north to Virginia but excluding Texas which has its own association. National organizations cover all 50 states with Transnational Association(TRACS) considering itself “unburdened by geographic boundaries”

National organizations tend to have less stringent requirements than those considered regional so what might be considered by some

What are the goals of accreditation?

There are numerous advantages to having an accredited nursing school, including:

• Assuring current and future students, faculty, and the public that the school maintains high standards.
• Improving the quality of nursing education.
• Ensuring graduates are qualified for the nursing industry.
• Enabling students who transfer from one school to another to have their credits accepted by both institutions.
• Ensuring that students are eligible for financial aid at all accredited nursing schools in the U.S.

The difference between regional and national accreditation

It’s important to note that there are two types of accreditation: regional and national. Schools that meet the standards of regional accrediting agencies are generally considered more prestigious and rigorous than those that meet the standards of national accrediting agencies. In general, vocational programs (such as nursing) will be nationally accredited, while academic programs (like English literature) will be regionally accredited.

When you’re looking at a nursing school, you want to make sure it has earned regional accreditation—that way, your credits will transfer if you decide to go back to school or change schools for another reason. You also want to make sure the course(s) you take from a non-accredited program is accepted by your institution before enrolling in such a program.

Importance of accreditation

Understanding why accreditation is important for nursing schools is essential if you’re pursuing a career in the field of nursing. Accreditation can help to determine whether or not a nursing program is recognized by the state board of education, and therefore eligible for federal funding. Accredited programs will be required to adhere to certain standards, which helps ensure that you’ll receive an education that meets a base level of quality.

By choosing an accredited school for your nursing degree program, you can rest assured that you’re getting the best possible education in the field. Accreditation also offers benefits once you graduate from school and start looking for jobs: employers often look more favorably upon candidates who have attended accredited schools.

Important organizations for nursing school accreditation

CCNE is the accrediting body for baccalaureate and graduate degree nursing programs. It is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a national accreditation agency and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). YOU ARE HERE!!

ACEN is the official accrediting body for all types of professional nursing education programs, including associate degrees, baccalaureate degrees, master’s degrees, post-master’s certificate programs, DI/DNP certification programs, nurse practitioner certification programs and nurse anesthetist certification programs. It is located in Atlanta, Georgia.

The NLNAC is a voluntary organization that has been designated as a national accrediting agency since 1952 by the US Secretary of Education. The NLNAC accredits any type of professional nursing program offered at both public and private universities or colleges in about 1400 institutions nationwide and internationally which offer both undergraduate and graduate level programs to more than 700 thousand students every year.

The COA serves as a specialized accrediting agency that provides nationally recognized standards for nurse anesthesia educational programs throughout the US by evaluating these institutions against pre-determined set criteria to ensure that graduates are adequately trained to function competently in their future careers as qualified Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA). Their mission statement states: “We exist to protect the public by ensuring entry into practice excellence across all levels of nurse anesthesia education”

What to look for in a nursing program

When choosing a nursing program, it’s important to look into the school’s accreditation. You can use the [nursing program search tool](http://www.ncsbn.org/search.htm) from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to make sure the institution you’re considering is approved by the state board of nursing and eligible for federal student financial aid. The school should also be accredited by either:

• The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), or
• The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Why is it important to attend an accredited school?

Attending an accredited nursing school is important because it ensures that you will receive a quality education. Accredited programs meet certain standards, so you know that the program will offer a solid foundation in nursing knowledge and skills. Other benefits of attending an accredited program include eligibility for federal financial aid, eligibility for state licensing exams and ease of transferring credits to another institution. Most employers only hire candidates who attended accredited programs.

How do I know if my nursing school is accredited?

There are a few ways that you can find out if your nursing school is accredited.

• Check with the school to see if it is accredited. They should have that information readily available, and be willing to tell you which accrediting bodies they are part of.
• Once you know which accrediting body has accredited your nursing school, check their website to see if the school is listed as an accredited institution. If you go here, for example, since AACN accredits registered nurse programs and BSN programs, you can type your state into this search box and see which schools have been awarded CCNE accreditation.
• Ask the school if they have a copy of their most recent accreditation report. It will give you more details about what was looked at during the review process, what standards were met (or not), and any areas for improvement that were identified by the reviewers. The self-study report will also include short narrative summaries of how each standard was addressed and how evidence of compliance was provided.
• If you are still not sure whether or not your nursing program is accredited, contact your state board of nursing to make sure that they’re properly licensed in your state before spending any time or money on their program.

Accreditation is vital to help you on your way to becoming a registered nurse.

Accreditation is a way for a school to prove that it meets high standards of quality. To become accredited, a school must be evaluated by an accrediting agency and be found to have met the agency’s stringent requirements.