With the BSN in 10 passed in New York state and the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2019 pending in the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the focus on higher education for nurses and allied health professionals is shifting into the forefront.  More and more caregivers will be continuing their education and need to find schools that can not only meet their current needs but also ensure that their future journey in the healthcare field is successful.

The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) are two accreditation bodies that help to ensure that nursing and healthcare colleges meet a high set of standards in relation to their programs and treatment of students. 

Buy why does this accreditation matter?  A school is not required to have either of these accreditations to teach students in the healthcare field, but that doesn’t mean accreditation is unimportant or that a school should skip the process.  The benefits of accreditation outweigh any changes or investments needed to acquire it.

First off, having an accreditation instantly says that you hold yourself to high standards.  This doesn’t matter whether you’re a giant university or a small community college.  Having an accreditation is a badge of honor which sets you aside from schools that don’t have one. 

Accreditation can help with acquiring federal funding.  The United States Department of Education (USDE) must ensure schools meet a specific standard set by Congress.  Receiving USDE approved accreditations (like ACEN and CCNE) shows that your school adheres to higher standards and makes it more likely that you and your students will receive federal funding.

The windfall from accreditation extends to the students, faculty, and your community.

For students, it helps to facilitate the transfer of credits, opens up eligibility to federal aid, provides a high level of education that the student can wear as a badge of honor, and helps to open up career opportunities.

For school administration and faculty, it offers professional development and validation and shines a light on areas where the college or university can improve.

And for the community, it allows employers to know that when they hire a nurse or allied health professional from an accredited institution, they are receiving an employee who learned from a school that cares about graduating high-level caregivers.

If you want to learn more about college accreditation, the U.S. Department of Education site is a great place to start.  Visit it here.

Information for the article came from:

https://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html?src=more

https://www.aacnnursing.org/

https://www.acenursing.org/