By Greg Donaldson, ACEN Accreditation Specialist – Report Processing and Quality Assurance
ATLANTA, Oct. 9, 2018 – Just like last year, the ACEN is thrilled to share the results of its last two Board of Commissioners meetings. At the July 2018 and September 2018 meetings, a total of 63 programs were reviewed for continuing accreditation, and 28 programs were reviewed for initial accreditation. In total, 91 programs were reviewed, and 100% were granted accreditation. It goes without saying that the ACEN is extremely proud of the nurse administrators’ and faculties’ efforts and their results!
It should be noted that most programs reviewed were granted continuing accreditation without stipulations, and some programs were granted continuing accreditation with conditions, warning, or for good cause due to non-compliance with one or more Accreditation Standard. Programs with a stipulation(s) are required to complete follow-up actions to provide further evidence of efforts to demonstrate compliance with the 2017 ACEN Standards and Criteria. As always, the ACEN staff are available to the nurse administrator and faculty for guidance and support. In addition, 38 programs hosted focused site visits in the Spring 2018 Cycle, with all programs having accreditation affirmed.
First and foremost, all the nurse administrators and faculty for the programs reviewed are commended for their hard work and dedication. Whether it is attendance at Self-Study Forums or the First Annual ACEN Accreditation Conference held in July 2018, the ACEN has seen an increased interest in quality improvement through accreditation.
The ACEN is always exploring new opportunities to assist programs in the accreditation process, such as the Advisory Review, through which programs can submit materials to the professional staff and receive feedback in preparation for the next accreditation review. The ACEN prides itself on being a supportive partner while fulfilling its stewardship responsibilities. The ACEN does its best to be both a leader and partner in nursing education, and that means remaining accessible, consistent, and forward-thinking.
Another large part of the success with ACEN accreditation is the substantial guidance provided to nurse administrators and faculty members by the ACEN professional staff throughout the Candidacy process. Before becoming a candidate for initial accreditation, a Candidacy Presentation must be submitted, and the professional staff members evaluate each presentation and write extensive reviews in which they offer guidance to the nurse administrator and faculty in the following areas: Standard 2 Faculty and Staff; Standard 4 Curriculum, Standard 5 Resources; and Standard 6 Outcomes (specifically, Criterion 6.1). Candidacy reviews differ from Site Visit Reports in that professional staff offer specific advice regarding areas in which the program may be non-compliant or need development. As a result of the review, nurse administrators and faculty for programs approved for Candidacy have a blueprint to guide them in preparing for an initial accreditation site visit.
In the Fall 2018 Cycle, the ACEN will review 36 programs for initial accreditation and 85 programs for continuing accreditation, and an estimated 32 programs for initial accreditation and 88 programs for continuing accreditation in Spring 2019 Cycle. With the continued efforts of the nurse administrators and faculty as well as the ACEN staff, we believe all programs will be successful in their accreditation review. Your ACEN staff looks forward to supporting all the nurse administrators and faculty in these programs!