ACEN Policies

POLICY #31
INTEGRITY

A governing organization and/or nursing program shall demonstrate honesty and integrity in all disclosures to the ACEN and its representatives, students, and the public. A governing organization/nursing program disclosing any information to the ACEN and its representatives, students, and the public shall:

1. Disclose all voluntary, required, or requested information in a timely manner.
2. Fully, accurately, and straightforwardly disclose all voluntary, required, or requested information, including outcomes data (whether complementary or otherwise).
3. Comply with all ACEN requirements, policies, guidelines, decisions, and requests.
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The ACEN accredits selected types of governing organizations and all types of nursing programs, not individuals (see Policy #3 Eligibility for Initial and Continuing Accreditation). Therefore, any individual who reports to the ACEN on behalf of a governing organization/nursing program, either by virtue of her/his office or as delegated by the chief executive officer of the governing organization, obligates the governing organization and nursing program in all matters regarding integrity. Additionally, in order to comply with the requirements for honesty and integrity, appropriate representatives (e.g., nurse administrator, chief executive officer) of the governing organization are obligated to review and ensure the honesty and integrity of information disclosed.

With due regard for confidentiality, a governing organization/nursing program applying for candidacy or seeking initial accreditation or continuing accreditation shall provide the ACEN and its representatives with unrestricted access to all aspects of its operations, including (but not limited to) information regarding the governing organization’s/nursing program’s affairs and reports of other accrediting, licensing, and auditing agencies.

If the ACEN has reason to believe that a governing organization/nursing program has breached this policy, the ACEN will conduct an investigation and issue a report of its findings. The investigation will utilize an appropriate process. The governing organization/nursing program will have the opportunity to respond to any alleged breach prior to the ACEN imposing a sanction.

Presenting false, distorted, or incomplete information of any type, either through intent or through failure to exercise care and diligence, is considered a breach of this policy. Failure to respond appropriately to the ACEN decisions and requests in a timely manner or to make complete, accurate, and honest disclosure is sufficient reason in and of itself for the ACEN to impose a sanction.

Verified breaches of this policy may adversely affect the governing organization’s/nursing program’s accreditation status with the ACEN. Depending on the seriousness of the breach, sanctions by the ACEN Board of Commissioners may result in:

• a letter of censure,
• accreditation status change to conditions or warning,
• denial of continuing accreditation and removal from the listing of accredited nursing programs, or
• denial of initial accreditation.

Only decisions made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners to deny continuing accreditation and remove a governing organization/nursing program from the listing of accredited programs or to deny initial accreditation are appealable actions.

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