Nursing Educational Programs & Initial Accreditation and Continuing Accreditation with Commission
Initial Accreditation and Continuing Accreditation in Nursing Education, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Initial Accreditation and Continuing Accreditation in Nursing Education
Nursing Educational Programs Nursing programs that seek initial ACEN accreditation must comply with its current policies and procedures, which are available at www.acenursing.org and are subject to change. Current requirements stipulate that the chief executive officer of the college or university initiates the process and authorizes ACEN to begin the accreditation process.
ACEN assigns the nursing program a mentor to facilitate the self-assessment process. The nursing program applies for candidacy status by submitting state board of nursing approval documentation, fees, and information related to the faculty members, curriculum, and resources. Once candidacy status is established, the nursing program has 2 years to complete the accreditation process.
The nursing program must be in compliance with all accreditation standards and criteria to receive initial accreditation. Failure to comply with accreditation standards and criteria may result in denial of accreditation. Programs are reviewed again by ACEN 5 years following receipt of initial accreditation (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, 2013).
Nursing programs that seek continuing accreditation must be in compliance with all ACEN standards and criteria to receive an accreditation term of 8 years. Shorter terms of accreditation and various sanctions are imposed, depending on the type and number of citations, for programs that do not fully comply (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, 2013).
Nursing programs that face possible denial or revocation of accreditation can appeal those decisions. ACEN policy provides a 30-day timeframe to initiate the appeal of an adverse accreditation decision. An appeal panel reviews all pertinent materials, including any documentation relevant to the adverse accreditation decision and testimony presented at an appeal hearing where representatives of the nursing program, including the program administrator, may present evidence.
The decision of the appeal panel may range from affirmation of the adverse decision, to reversal of the decision, or remanding the decision to the Board of Commissioners. All ACEN accreditation decisions are made available to the USDE, state boards of nursing, and the public. The ACEN website (www.acenursing.org) provides extensive information to guide nursing programs in every aspect of the accreditation process.
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
In 1998 the Nursing Education Accreditation Commission (NEAC) was created by the AACN for the sole purpose of accrediting baccalaureate and higher degree nursing programs, including MSN and DNP program. The NEAC was subsequently renamed the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. In 2000 CCNE received initial USDE recognition. CCNE strives to be mission driven with foci including innovation, autonomy, and creativity.
The CCNE is autonomous from the AACN. Its mission is to serve as “an autonomous accrediting agency, contributing to the improvement of the public’s health.” CCNE provides accreditation for baccalaureate and higher-degree programs in nursing, including Master of Science in nursing (MSN), doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) and post baccalaureate nursing residency programs.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs are accredited by regional accreditation agencies. CCNE is the autonomous accreditation agency of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). CCNE does not provide Title IV gatekeeping functions for the programs it accredits.
The Commission serves the public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage in effective educational practices. “As a voluntary, self-regulatory process, CCNE accreditation supports and encourages continuing self-assessment by nursing programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education and post-baccalaureate nursing residency programs” (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 2009a, para. 1).
The CCNE accreditation process is based on its core values:
- Foster trust in the process, in CCNE, and in the professional community.
- Focus on stimulating supporting continuous quality improvement in nursing education programs and their outcomes.
- Be inclusive in the implementation of its activities and maintain openness to the diverse institutional and individual issues and opinions of the interested community.
- Rely on review and oversight by peers from the community of interest.
- Maintain integrity through a consistent, fair, and honest accreditation process.
- Value and foster innovation in both the accreditation process and the programs to be accredited.
- Facilitate and engage in self-assessment.
- Foster an educational climate that supports program students, graduates, and faculty in their pursuit of lifelong learning.
- Maintain a high level of accountability to the public served by the process, including consumers, students, employers, programs, and institutions of higher education.
- Maintain a process that is both cost-effective and cost accountable.
- Encourage programs to develop graduates who are effective professionals and socially responsible citizens.
- Ensure autonomy and due process in its deliberations and decision-making processes.
CCNE is governed by a 13-member Board of Commissioners that is composed of 3 deans of nursing programs, 3 faculty, 2 professional consumers, 2 public consumers, and 3 practicing nurses. The CCNE executive director reports to the CCNE Board of Commissioners.
The CCNE infrastructure also includes staff and standing committees, which include the Accreditation Review, Budget, Nominating, Report Review, and Hearing Committees. CCNE staff members report to the director and assistant director and are responsible for supporting all board and standing committee activities as well as administration of accreditation processes and procedures.
The CCNE site evaluators are nursing faculty members, administrators, and practicing nurses. Each on-site reviewer completes CCNE evaluator training. Site evaluators are expected to always maintain confidentiality regarding the accreditation process. Individuals selected as CCNE accreditation team leaders attend training for leading on-site visits.
Resources for on-site evaluators are found on the CCNE website. Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education In 1998 the Nursing Education Accreditation Commission (NEAC) was created by the AACN for the sole purpose of accrediting baccalaureate and higher degree nursing programs, including MSN and DNP program.
The NEAC was subsequently renamed the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. In 2000 CCNE received initial USDE recognition. CCNE strives to be mission-driven with foci including innovation, autonomy, and creativity. The CCNE is autonomous from the AACN.
Its mission is to serve as “an autonomous accrediting agency, contributing to the improvement of the public’s health.” CCNE provides accreditation for baccalaureate and higher-degree programs in nursing, including Master of Science in nursing (MSN), doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) and postbaccalaureate nursing residency programs. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs are accredited by regional accreditation agencies.
CCNE is the autonomous accreditation agency of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). CCNE does not provide Title IV gatekeeping functions for the programs it accredits. The Commission serves the public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage in effective educational practices.
“As a voluntary, self-regulatory process, CCNE accreditation supports and encourages continuing self-assessment by nursing programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education and post-baccalaureate nursing residency programs” (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 2009a, para .1).
The CCNE accreditation process is based on its core values:
- Foster trust in the process, in CCNE, and in the professional community.
- Focus on stimulating supporting continuous quality improvement in nursing education programs and their outcomes.
- Be inclusive in the implementation of its activities and maintain openness to the diverse institutional and individual issues and opinions of the interested community.
- Rely on review and oversight by peers from the community of interest.
- Maintain integrity through a consistent, fair, and honest accreditation process.
- Value and foster innovation in both the accreditation process and the programs to be accredited.
- Facilitate and engage in self-assessment.
- Foster an educational climate that supports program students, graduates, and faculty in their pursuit of lifelong learning.
- Maintain a high level of accountability to the public served by the process, including consumers, students, employers, programs, and institutions of higher education.
- Maintain a process that is both cost-effective and cost accountable.
- Encourage programs to develop graduates who are effective professionals and socially responsible citizens.
- Ensure autonomy and due process in its deliberations and decision-making processes.
CCNE is governed by a 13-member Board of Commissioners that is composed of 3 deans of nursing programs, 3 faculty, 2 professional consumers, 2 public consumers, and 3 practicing nurses. The CCNE executive director reports to the CCNE Board of Commissioners.
The CCNE infrastructure also includes staff and standing committees, which include the Accreditation Review, Budget, Nominating, Report Review, and Hearing Committees. CCNE staff members report to the director and assistant director and are responsible for supporting all board and standing committee activities as well as administration of accreditation processes and procedures.
The CCNE site evaluators are nursing faculty members, administrators, and practicing nurses. Each on-site reviewer completes CCNE evaluator training. Site evaluators are expected to maintain confidentiality at all times regarding the accreditation process. Individuals selected as CCNE accreditation team leaders attend training for leading on-site visits.