5 reasons to attend a Self-Study Forum in-person this fall
August 24, 2023
Take a break from your desk!
Let’s meet in-person for a Fall 2023 Self-Study Forum in Atlanta, GA!
Click below to read our top five reasons why you should attend the forum in-person!
The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) appoints Dr. Kathy Chappell as Chief Executive Officer
Friday, August 4, 2023
ATLANTA, GEORGIA — The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), the leading authority in nursing education accreditation, today announced Kathy Chappell, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN has been named as Chief Executive Officer of the organization. Dr. Chappell is an accomplished researcher with a clinical background and extensive experience steering the strategic direction of credentialing programs at notable professional organizations and health systems in the U.S. and globally. She will assume the leadership position on September 4, 2023 and immediately begin delivering on ACEN’s mission to strengthen the quality of nursing education at all levels of the profession and transition-to-practice programs.
Fall 2023 Self-Study Forums &
Program Administrator Workshop
Fall 2023 Self-Study Forums
October 23-24 and October 26-27, 2023 – Atlanta, Georgia and Virtual
Are you preparing for a site visit? Do you and your faculty need to dive deeper into the ACEN Standards and Criteria? The Fall 2023 Self-Study Forum will focus on the new 2023 Standards and Criteria. During this two-day workshop, the ACEN in-house nurse educators review all five ACEN Standards and assist you in gaining a deeper understanding of each Criterion within the Standards. The goal is to support nursing faculty and administrators with demonstrating compliance and provide guidance for writing the Self-Study Report for individual programs in preparation for the ACEN site visit.
FEE: $599
Fall 2023 Program Administrators Workshop
October 25, 2023 – Atlanta, Georgia
The Program Administrator Workshop is designed and developed specifically for program administrators, faculty, coordinators, and other positions that have administrative responsibilities for the nursing program and/or nursing education unit. Workshop topics include roles/responsibilities for program leaders, themes from the ACEN 2023 Standards and Criteria, integration of ACEN policies, and maintenance of ACEN accreditation.
FEE: $199
ACEN Announces 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award
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June 30, 2023
The ACEN is honored to announce Marilyn Smidt, MSN, RN, as the recipient of the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award! The ACEN Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals for their service in nursing education, practice, and/or accreditation.
This prestigious award honors an extraordinary individual who has made indelible contributions to nursing education, nursing practice, and/or accreditation over a sustained period of time. This year’s award will be presented during the ACEN 2023 Nursing Education Accreditation Conference.
Please join us in congratulating Marilyn on this extraordinary accomplishment!
2023-2024 Election Results are In!
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June 14, 2023
Effective October 1, 2023, there are newly elected and re-elected Commissioners who will join the Board and a newly elected representative joining the Nominating Committee.
ACEN Recognition Renewed by the USDE
ATLANTA, June 1, 2023 – The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) is proud to announce that the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) has once again granted recognition to the ACEN as a specialized accreditor for nursing education programs.
On May 31, 2023, the ACEN received the decision letter from Jordan Matsudaira, Deputy Under Secretary and Chief Economist of the USDE, stating that the recognition of the ACEN was renewed for a period of five years. This decision is in line with the recommendation from the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) and the recommendation from USDE staff.
ACEN Position Statement Related to Graduate Nursing Education Programs
September 30, 2022
The ACEN has been accrediting nursing education programs for over 80 years. Under ACEN practice, a master’s nursing program can also include post-master’s certificate (PMC) program options. In 2012, the ACEN began accrediting clinical doctorate programs (DNP), and in 2019, the ACEN added a DNP Specialist certificate as a component of the DNP degree.
The ACEN has accredited graduate nursing programs regardless of the specialty area(s) offered within the program; specialty areas are referred to as program options by the ACEN. The ACEN firmly believes that the level of nursing offered by an institution should be in congruence with the institutional philosophy and meet the needs of the institution’s communities of interest. Therefore, the ACEN will continue to accredit all APRN and non-APRN program options at the master’s level and DNP level.
The ACEN also accredits nurse educator program options offered as part of either a master’s or DNP program of study. The ACEN Board of Commissioners (BOC) firmly believes that the nurse educator role is a nursing practice specialty and that preparation at the graduate level is appropriate. The future of quality nursing programs is dependent upon having knowledgeable and skilled individuals with expertise in educational practice; thus, graduate programs should continue to offer well-designed nurse educator program options.
BECOME A PEER EVALUATOR!
There is an opportunity for you and your colleagues to serve nursing education and the nursing profession by becoming a peer evaluator. The ACEN is growing; the number of site visits per semester has increased from an average of 80 visits to 120 visits.
Your ACEN needs you to volunteer to be a peer evaluator.
Every ACEN-accredited nursing program benefits from having at least one nurse educator serving as a peer evaluator, and there is no limit to the number of peer evaluators from a nursing program. Many consider serving in the role of peer evaluator as an opportunity for service and as a professional commitment.
Transition-to-Practice Accreditation by ACEN
The leading authority for nursing education accreditation proudly brings you Transition-to-Practice (TTP) program accreditation. Transition to practice is a critical time during which a nurse develops the skills and attitudes necessary for autonomous nursing practice within her or his level of licensure. Transitions in nursing practice occur when an individual completes a nursing education program and obtains initial or a new level of nursing licensure, when a practicing nurse transitions to a new nursing role/responsibilities at the same level of licensure, or when a nurse re-enters the workforce after an extended absence. Current research suggests that successful transitions to practice result in improved patient safety and a better quality of nursing care.