ACEN Commission Actions – January 2018

Notification of Commission Actions
January 2018

The following publicly available information is provided by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) concerning the accreditation status of the following programs reviewed by the ACEN Board of Commissioners during its meeting on January 23, 2018. Commission staff will not speculate on what decision might be made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners the next time a program is reviewed. For additional information regarding ACEN accreditation process, access the Accreditation Manual at http://www.acenursing.org/accreditation-manual

Access the ACEN 2017 Standards and Criteria by program type:

Continuing Accreditation Actions

Additional InformationAffirm Continuing Accreditation

The Commission affirmed continuing accreditation after a focused visit to the following programs:

  • East Tennessee State University (Master’s/Post-Master’s Certificate) Johnson City, TN
  • Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Master’s/Post-Master’s Certificate) Baton Rouge, LA
  • Middle Tennessee State University (Master’s/Post-Master’s Certificate) Murfreesboro, TN
  • Sharon Regional Health System (Diploma) Sharon, PA

Additional InformationContinuing Accreditation with Warning

The Commission granted continuing accreditation with warning to the following programs:

  • Huntingdon County Career and Technology Center (Practical )Mill Creek, PA related to non-compliance with:
    • Standard 1 Mission and Administrative Capacity, Criterion 1.5
      • There is a lack of evidence that the nursing education unit is administered by a nurse who holds a graduate degree with a major in nursing.
    • Standard 4 Curriculum, Criteria 4.2; 4.3; 4.7; 4.9; 4.11
      • There is a lack of evidence that the student learning outcomes are used to organize the curriculum, guide the delivery of instruction, and direct learning activities.
      • There is a lack of evidence that the curriculum is developed by faculty and regularly reviewed to ensure integrity, rigor, and currency, and that consistent documentation is maintained.
      • There is a lack of evidence that the evaluation methodologies measure the achievement of the end-of-program student learning outcomes.
      • There is a lack of evidence that the student clinical experiences are evidence-based and support the achievement of the end-of-program student learning outcomes.
      • There is a lack of evidence that learning activities, instructional materials and evaluations methods are consistent with the end-of-program student learning outcomes.
    • Standard 6 Outcomes, Criterion 6.1
      • There is a lack of evidence that the expected levels of achievement of the end-of-program student learning outcomes are consistently met.
      • There is a lack of evidence that there is ongoing assessment of the extent to which students attain the end-of-program student learning outcomes.
      • There is a lack of evidence that assessment data are used in program decision-making for the maintenance and improvement of students’ attainment of the end-of-program student learning outcomes.

Definitions

Continuing Accreditation: A determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that a nursing program is in compliance with all Accreditation Standards.

Continuing Accreditation with Conditions: A measure imposed by the ACEN Board of Commissioners following the determination of non-compliance with one (1) or two (2) Accreditation Standards. Next review and follow-up action(s) are determined by the Board of Commissioners.

Continuing Accreditation with Warning: A measure imposed by the ACEN Board of Commissioners following the determination of non-compliance with three (3) or more Accreditation Standards. Next review and follow-up action(s) are determined by the Board of Commissioners.

Continuing Accreditation with Good Cause: A measure imposed by the ACEN Board of Commissioners following the determination that a nursing program has not remedied deficiencies at the conclusion of its maximum monitoring period and the program has (a) has demonstrated significant recent accomplishments in addressing ; (b) has documented that it has the potential to remedy all deficiencies within the extended period as defined by the Commission; that is, that the program provides evidence which makes it reasonable for the Commission to determine it will remedy all deficiencies within the extended time defined by the Commission; and (c) provides assurance to the Commission that it is not aware of any other reasons, other than those identified by the Commission, why the nursing program could not be continued for good cause.

Denied Initial Accreditation: A determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that a nursing program is in non-compliance with one or more Accreditation Standard.

Denied Continuing Accreditation: A determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that a nursing program on conditions, warning, or warning for good cause is found to be in continued non-compliance with any Accreditation Standard. Thereafter the nursing program is removed from the listings of accredited programs.

Focused Visit: A site visit authorized by the ACEN Board of Commissioners to review significant accreditation-related information disclosed about a program as a result of:

A substantive change;

Information revealed about a program between periods of scheduled review;

Information received from the governing organization’s accrediting body related to an adverse action;

Information received from the program’s state regulatory agency for nursing related to a change in its status;

Information revealed by a program during the Evaluation Review Panel process;

Information received from the U.S. Department of Education regarding a program’s compliance responsibilities under Title IV of the Higher Education Act such as information related to a program’s most recent student loan default rates, the results of financial or compliance audits, program reviews, and any other information that may be provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

Follow-up Report: A report prepared by a program addressing the Standard(s) for which the nursing program was found to be in non-compliance during the program’s previous review by the ACEN Board of Commissioners.

Initial Accreditation: A determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that a nursing program is in compliance with all Accreditation Standards.

Remove the Conditions Status and Grant Continuing Accreditation: A determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that a nursing program is in compliance with the Accreditation Standard(s) that the program was found to be in non-compliance during the program’s previous review by the ACEN Board of Commissioners.

Remove the Good Cause Status and Grant Continuing Accreditation: A determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that a nursing program is in compliance with the Accreditation Standards that the program was found to be in non-compliance during the program’s previous review by the ACEN Board of Commissioners.

Remove the Warning Status and Grant Continuing Accreditation: A determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that a nursing program is in compliance with the Accreditation Standard(s) that the program was found to be in non-compliance during the program’s previous review by the ACEN Board of Commissioners.

Standard:
See ACEN 2017 Standards and Criteria
Clinical Doctorate
Master’s/Post-Master’s Certificate
Baccalaureate
Associate
Diploma
Practical

Substantive Change Report: A report submitted by an accredited program informing the ACEN of a significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope of a nursing program and/or nursing education unit.

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