The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) is pleased to announce that after careful review and consideration of all comments received, the ACEN Board of Commissioners voted at its July 2016 meeting to approve the revisions to the Standards. Thank you to all the individuals who provided comments during the two (2) public comment periods.
The 2017 Standards and Criteria will become effective January 1, 2017.
- All programs being reviewed from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017 have the choice of being reviewed under the 2013 Standards and Criteria OR the 2017 Standards and Criteria. Programs must use either ALL the 2013 Standards and Criteria or ALL the 2017 Standards and Criteria. There can’t be “mixing and matching” between the 2013 Standards and Criteria or the 2017 Standards and Criteria.
- All programs being reviewed beginning January 1, 2018 will do so under the 2017 Standards and Criteria.
The ACEN has developed a side-by-side comparison of the 2017 and current 2013 Standards and Criteria reflecting a description of the changes available at www.acenursing.org/comparison-2017-2013-standards/.
The ACEN is in the process of producing a PowerPoint presentation that will offer guidance to programs and peer evaluators on the application/implementation of the 2017 Standards and Criteria. The presentation will be available approximately October 1, 2016. All program evaluators will be required to view the presentation by December 31, 2016.
The changes in the 2017 Standards and Criteria will be introduced at the Fall 2016 Self-Study Forums being held in Atlanta, GA and Baltimore, MD. www.acenursing.org/self-study-forums/
As always, the ACEN professional staff are available to answer your questions. Please feel comfortable contacting us by email or telephone. www.acenursing.org/acen-staff-3/