Nursing education and transition-to-practice programs considering accreditation should contact the ACEN to begin the candidacy process. As part of this process, programs will be assigned a Director as their mentor. The mentoring service is provided to facilitate faculty self-review and planning.
The nurse administrator, program faculty, and administrative officers of the governing organization determine when the program is ready to apply for candidacy and the initial accreditation site visit. The decision should be based on an in-depth self-study of the program in relation to the ACEN Standards and Criteria.
The ACEN accreditation process includes the following primary steps:
*An Appeal Committee may be convened only when initial or continuing accreditation is denied by the Board of Commissioners.
The ACEN process for nursing education or transition-to-practice programs seeking initial accreditation after achieving candidate status or continuing accreditation is a comprehensive process starting with the program’s self-reflection regarding its compliance with the ACEN Standards and Criteria and as presented in its Self-Study Report.
The next step is the site visit of the program resulting in the peer evaluators documenting their assessment and accreditation recommendation regarding the program’s compliance with the ACEN Standards and Criteria in the Site Visit Report.
In the third step, a program-specific Evaluation Review Panel examines the reports written by and about the program (Self-Study Report and Site Visit Report) reaching their own independent judgement and accreditation recommendation regarding the program’s compliance with the ACEN Standards and Criteria.
The final step is a review of the process by the ACEN Board of Commissioners. While considering the peer evaluators’ judgement and accreditation recommendations, the Commissioners also reach their own independent judgement regarding the program’s compliance with the ACEN Standards and Criteria and make an accreditation decision.
Note: Upon granting of initial accreditation by the ACEN Board of Commissioners, the effective date of initial accreditation is the date on which the nursing program was approved by the ACEN as a candidate program that concluded in the Board of Commissioners granting initial accreditation. Accreditation is not retroactive for students who graduated prior to the program achieving candidate status with the ACEN. See ACEN Policy #34.
The ACEN TTP accreditation process includes the following primary steps:
*An Appeal Committee may be convened only when initial or continuing accreditation is denied by the Board of Commissioners.
The ACEN process for transition-to-practice programs seeking initial accreditation after achieving Candidate status or continuing accreditation is a comprehensive four-step process starting with the transition-to-practice program’s self-reflection regarding its compliance with the Transition-to-Practice Standards and Criteria and as presented in its Self-Study Report.
The second step is the transition-to-practice program-specific peer evaluators visiting the transition-to-practice program resulting in the peers documenting their assessment and recommendations regarding the transition-to-practice program’s compliance with the Transition-to-Practice Standards and Criteria in the Site Visit Report.
In the third step, a designated committee from the Board of Commissioners examines the available transition-to-practice program materials and makes a recommendation about accreditation.
The final step is a review of the process and all available documentation by the ACEN Board of Commissioners and consideration of the findings and accreditation recommendations from the previous steps. The Commissioners reach their own independent professional judgement regarding the transition-to-practice program’s compliance
Note: Upon granting of initial accreditation by the ACEN Board of Commissioners, the effective date of initial accreditation is the date on which the nursing program was approved by the ACEN as a candidate program that concluded in the Board of Commissioners granting initial accreditation. Accreditation is not retroactive for students who graduated prior to the program achieving candidate status with the ACEN. See ACEN Policy #204.
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 and transition-to-practice programs.
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc.
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
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