ACEN accreditation ensures nursing programs maintain high educational standards. It safeguards a consistent quality baseline and helps propel the profession forward.
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Choosing the Right Program
You can pursue excellence without going to an ACEN or CCNE-accredited program. However, choosing the right one is essential to ensure you have the best opportunity to succeed. ACEN-accredited programs are essential for aspiring nurses seeking a high-quality education and a successful career path.
To earn accreditation, a nursing school undergoes a rigorous process to ensure that their education meets high standards and prepares nurses for the profession. Two entities recognize accrediting agencies in the United States: the USDE and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
A nursing program seeking initial accreditation must meet specific criteria before applying for Candidacy status. Then, they must conduct a self-study report, be subject to a site visit, and have their report evaluated by a peer evaluator panel. If the program meets these requirements, it will be granted ACEN accreditation. Suppose the program needs to meet these qualifications. In that case, it will receive a status of Conditions, Warning, or Good Cause, and the Board of Commissioners determines the duration of this timeframe.
ACEN Accreditation
The ACEN accreditation process is rigorous and requires a great deal of effort. It is also a valuable tool for nursing programs to use as they continue to improve their offerings. It ensures that students, faculty, and employers can trust the program’s reputation and credentials.
As part of the process, an onsite visit allows peer evaluators to see the program firsthand and interact with staff members, administrators, and students. After examining the Self-Study Report and Site Visit Report, the peer evaluators will independently analyze and judge the degree to which the program meets the ACEN Standards and Criteria.
Once the decision is made to accredit a program, the ACEN will provide it with resources and guidance to prepare for an advisory review or site visit. The ACCEN professional staff can also assist programs with questions or concerns. The ACCEN website provides various online resources for programs, including a comprehensive ACEN Accreditation Manual and a Glossary of Accreditation Terms.
CCNE Accreditation
When looking for a nursing school, an accredited program is essential. This is because state boards of nursing partner with accrediting organizations to ensure that nurses who graduate from the program are prepared to meet strict standards and are not putting patients at risk.
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is a national accrediting agency that recognizes nursing programs that meet its standards. CCNE accredits bachelor’s, master’s, and nurse residency programs. Once a nursing program earns accreditation, it must submit annual reports to CCNE and host onsite evaluations every three years. The onsite evaluations help to determine if a program complies with all of the requirements and prepares its graduates for nursing practice. CCNE also requires its accredited programs to engage in continuous improvement and self-assessment to maintain their accreditation status. These accreditation processes serve the interests of the nursing profession, consumers, higher education institutions, students and their families, nursing residents, and the public.
Finding an ACEN-Accredited Program
Choosing excellence requires dedication, perseverance, and total focus. It can also require courage and resiliency. It can mean being flexible in facing challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. But it can also mean finding meaningful reasons to persist, which are not just about completing the task but are deeply personal and connected to one’s values.
The ACEN accreditation process is rigorous, but it gives the public confidence that a nursing program has met specific standards and can be trusted to provide a quality education. Nursing programs that the ACEN or CCNE accredits will typically be required to disclose their status publicly.
State boards of nursing partner with accreditors to oversee nurse preparation programs. Those partnerships are essential, as students must graduate from an accredited program to be eligible to take the NCLEX exam for licensure.