A substantive change is a significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope of a nursing program and/or nursing education. The purpose of the substantive change policy and process is to keep the ACEN informed of changes in the program or governing organization between accreditation visits.
See Policy #14 Reporting Substantive Changes for detailed information about ACEN requirements.
A substantive change form must be completed to report a substantive change. Templates may not address all substantive changes that ACEN will review in the interim between a program's reaccreditation cycles.
Access substantive change templatesA change in Nurse Administrator must be reported to the ACEN no later than one (1) month after the permanent or interim nurse administrator assumes duties/responsibilities.
To report a change in Nurse Administrator, please complete the following form:
The BOC may require an Implementation Report at its discretion. If required, the due date for submission will be specified in the substantive change decision letter.
Programs required to submit an Implementation Report must use the ACEN Implementation Report Template. Appendices or supporting documentation are not required but may be included, when applicable, to provide additional clarification or evidence.
Substantive changes must be reported using the appropriate Substantive Change form. If you are unsure of which form you need to use, please contact the Substantive Change Coordinator at (404) 975-5000.
Use the Substantive Change Portal to:
For reporting changes that are not considered substantive in accordance with Policy #14, but may require updating of ACEN records, submit a non-substantive change notice.
If you require ACEN acknowledgment of a change in your program in compliance with another regulatory body, submit a non-substantive notice identifying what information is needed in the ACEN response.
To report changes to that are not considered substantive in accordance with Policy #14 Reporting Substantive Changes, but are necessary updates for our records, please submit a request using the Report a Non-Substantive Change form.
Examples of non-substantive changes include:
*Note: For changes in governing organization name, please submit a notice on the organization’s letterhead and documentation verifying that the institutional accreditor and/or U.S. Department of Education have acknowledged the change.
The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) supports the interests of nursing education, nursing practice, and the public by providing specialized accreditation for all levels of nursing education programs.
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc.
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
