Complaints Against an Accredited Program

The ACEN expects an individual to attempt to resolve an issue through the governing organization’s and/or nursing program’s own published grievance policy/procedures (if applicable) before submitting a complaint to the ACEN.

An individual must use all available grievance and means of appeal within the governing organization and/or nursing education unit before filing a complaint with the ACEN.

The ACEN will only act upon substantiated complaints against an accredited program that indicate:

1. A governing organization’s and/or nursing program’s non-compliance with the Standards and Criteria;
2. A governing organization’s and/or nursing program’s non-compliance with ACEN policy; and/or
3. A governing organization’s and/or nursing program’s non-compliance with its own published policy as said policy relates to the Standards and Criteria.

For more information, please see Policy #20 Complaints Against an Accredited Program.

Submitting a Complaint

1. The complaint must be presented to the ACEN as a written, signed, and dated statement with supporting documentation. The ACEN will not review or act upon complaints that are not presented in writing.
2. All complaints must be submitted using the ACEN’s official Complaint Form, which must be completed in its entirety. Complaints submitted without the official Complaint Form, completed in its entirety, will not be reviewed or acted upon.
3. The ACEN will not review or act upon anonymous complaints, nor will it review or act upon complaints submitted by an individual or agency on behalf of another individual. For example, the ACEN will not review or act upon a complaint from a parent, spouse, child, sibling, co-worker, or friend of a complainant, or from an attorney.
4. The ACEN must be the original intended recipient of the complaint and will not review or act upon complaints that are forwarded to the ACEN.
5. The ACEN will not accept or discuss complaints via telephone.
6. All written materials, including the submitted Complaint Form, the required supporting documentation, and any other printed materials, must be presented in English.