Abstract
[This is an excerpt.] This publication describes the standards and key elements used by CCNE in the accreditation of baccalaureate, master’s, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs. The standards and key elements, along with the accreditation procedures, serve as the basis for evaluating the quality of the educational program offered and to hold the nursing program(s) accountable to the educational community,the nursing profession, and the public. All nursing programs seeking CCNE accreditation, including those with distance education offerings, are expected to meet the accreditation standards presented in thisdocument. The standards are written as broad statements that embrace several areas of expected institutional performance. Related to each standard is a series of key elements. Viewed together, the key elements provide an indication of whether the broader standard has been met. The key elements are considered by the evaluation team, the Accreditation Review Committee, and the Board of Commissioners in determining whether the program meets each standard. The key elements are designed to enable a broad interpretation of each standard in order to support institutional autonomy and encourage innovation while maintaining the quality of nursing programs and the integrity of the accreditation process. Accompanying each key element is an elaboration, which is provided to assist program representatives in addressing the key element and to enhance understanding of CCNE’s expectations. Following each standard isa list of supporting documentation that assists program representatives in developing self-study materials and in preparing for the on-site evaluation. Supporting documentation is included in the self-study document or provided for review on site. CCNE recognizes that reasonable alternatives exist when providing documentation to address the key elements. Supporting documentation may be provided in paper or electronic form. At the end of this document is a glossary that defines terms and concepts used in this document. The standards are subject to periodic review and revision. The next scheduled review of this document will include both broad and specific participation by the CCNE community of interest in the analysis and discussion of additions and deletions. Under no circumstances may the standards and key elements defined in this document supersede federal or state law. [To read more, click View Resource.]
This resource is found in our Actionable Strategies for Professional Associations: Spotlights: Professional Associations Operational Strategies (Workloads and Workflows).
