The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) is one of three program accrediting agencies for nursing education in the US and its territories. [1] It is also a subsidiary of the National League for Nursing. ACEN is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) for nursing education programs. [2] The non-profit agency is funded by dues from member schools.
ACEN accredits nursing education programs for every level of nursing, from associate level to doctorate. ACEN accreditation is voluntary, but according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, ACEN acts as the Title IV "gatekeeper" for nursing education programs. [3] Along with state nursing boards, ACEN determines whether nursing programs can have accreditation and maintain it. [4] Therefore, many nursing programs organize around ACEN standards. [5]
In 1893, The American Society of Superintendents of Training Schools for Nurses was founded. The organization's mission was to create a universal standard of nurse training.
In 1938, National League for Nursing Education (NLNE) began accreditation for registered nurse education programs.
Beginning in 1964, federal funding for nursing education under the US Nurse Training Act was contingent upon the compliance of schools of nursing with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of the same year. In 1997, the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) began operations with sole authority for performing the nursing accreditation processes. [6]
Today there are three program accrediting agencies for nursing in the US.
The current CEO for ACEN is Marsal P. Stoll. [7]
Excelsior University is a private online university in Albany, New York. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and comprises three schools: the school of undergraduate studies, the school of graduate studies, and the school of nursing. It serves mostly non-traditional, adult working students through their distance education programs.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing also known in some countries as a Bachelor of Nursing (BN) or Bachelor of Science (BS) with a Major in Nursing is an academic degree in the science and principles of nursing, granted by an accredited tertiary education provider. The course of study is typically three or four years. The difference in degree designation may relate to the amount of basic science courses required as part of the degree, with BScN and BSN degree curriculums requiring completion of more courses on math and natural sciences that are more typical of BSc degrees and BN curriculums more focused on nursing theory, nursing process, and teaching versions of general science topics that are adapted to be more specific and relevant to nursing practice. Nursing school students are generally required to take courses in social and behavioral sciences and liberal arts, including nutrition, anatomy, chemistry, mathematics, and English. In addition to those courses, experience in physical and social sciences, communication, leadership, and critical thinking is required for a bachelor's degree. BSN programs typically last 2–4 years. Someone who holds a BSN can work in private or public medical and surgical hospitals, physician's offices, home health care services, and nursing facilities. Having a BSN can result in more opportunities and better salary than just an associate degree.
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) is a health science university and professional school of the U.S. federal government. The primary mission of the school is to prepare graduates for service to the U.S. at home and abroad as uniformed health professionals, scientists and leaders; by conducting cutting-edge, military-relevant research; by leading the Military Health System in key functional and intellectual areas; and by providing operational support to units around the world.
Nurse education consists of the theoretical and practical training provided to nurses with the purpose to prepare them for their duties as nursing care professionals. This education is provided to student nurses by experienced nurses and other medical professionals who have qualified or experienced for educational tasks, traditionally in a type of professional school known as a nursing school of college of nursing. Most countries offer nurse education courses that can be relevant to general nursing or to specialized areas including mental health nursing, pediatric nursing, and post-operative nursing. Nurse education also provides post-qualification courses in specialist subjects within nursing.
Central Philippine University is a private research university located in Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines. Established in 1905 through the benevolent grant of the American industrialist and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller as the Jaro Industrial School and Bible School under the supervision of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, it is the first Baptist and second American and Protestant-founded university in the Philippines and in Asia.
West Visayas State University is a public normal research university located in La Paz, Iloilo City, Western Visayas region of the Philippines. It was established in 1924 as Iloilo Normal School under the tutelage of the Thomasites, but dates back its founding in 1902 as a part of Philippine normal school system with Iloilo National High School established by the American colonial government. It later became West Visayas State College in 1965 and acquired its university status becoming West Visayas State University in 1986.
An advanced practice nurse (APN) is a nurse with post-graduate education and training in nursing. Nurses practicing at this level may work in either a specialist or generalist capacity. APNs are prepared with advanced didactic and clinical education, knowledge, skills, and scope of practice in nursing.
A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is an advanced-level postgraduate degree for registered nurses and is considered an entry-level degree for nurse educators and managers. The degree may also prepare a nurse to seek a career as a nurse administrator, health policy expert, or clinical nurse leader. The MSN may be used as a prerequisite for doctorate-level nursing education and is the minimum degree required to become an advanced practice registered nurse such as a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, or nurse midwife.
A nurse educator is a nurse who teaches and prepares licensed practical nurses (LPN) and registered nurses (RN) for entry into practice positions. They can also teach in various patient care settings to provide continuing education to licensed nursing staff. Nurse Educators teach in graduate programs at Master's and doctoral level which prepare advanced practice nurses, nurse educators, nurse administrators, nurse researchers, and leaders in complex healthcare and educational organizations.
The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is a nationwide examination for the licensing of nurses in the United States, Canada, and Australia since 1982, 2015, and 2020, respectively. There are two types: the NCLEX-RN and the NCLEX-PN. After graduating from a school of nursing, one takes the NCLEX exam to receive a nursing license. A nursing license gives an individual the permission to practice nursing, granted by the state where they met the requirements.
The United States (U.S.) Cadet Nurse Corps (CNC) for women was authorized by the U.S. Congress on 15 June 1943 and signed into law by president Franklin D. Roosevelt on 1 July. The purpose of the law was to alleviate the nursing shortage that existed before and during World War II. The legislative act contained a specific provision that prohibited discrimination based upon race, color, or creed. The United States Public Health Service (USPHS) was named the supervisory agency; it was answerable to Thomas Parran, Jr. the surgeon general of the United States. The USPHS established a separate division to administer the CNC program and Parran appointed Lucile Petry a registered nurse (RN) as its director.
Nursing in the United States is a professional health care occupation. It is the largest such occupation, employing millions of certified professionals. As of 2023, 3,175,390 registered nurses were employed, paid a median income of $86,070.
The National League for Nursing (NLN) is a national organization for faculty nurses and leaders in nurse education. It offers faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to more than 45,000 individual and 1,000 education and associate members.
University of Arkansas Grantham is a public online university based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Founded in 1951 as Grantham Radio License School, it would eventually be renamed Grantham University. The then-for-profit school offered distance-education programs from 1951 until 2021, at which point it was entirely online. Grantham was purchased by the University of Arkansas System for one dollar in 2021, merging with the latter’s eVersity online program. It is composed of four colleges: the College of Business, Management, and Economics; the College of Humanities and Social Sciences; the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology; and the College of Nursing and Health Professions. It is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission.
A family nurse practitioner (FNP) provides continuing and comprehensive healthcare for the individual and family across all ages, genders, diseases, and body systems. Primary care emphasizes the holistic nature of health and it is based on knowledge of the patient in the context of the family and the community, emphasizing disease prevention and health promotion.
Goodwin University is a private university in East Hartford, Connecticut, United States. It was founded in 1962 as the Data Institute Businss School. It became a subsidiary of the University of Bridgeport in January 2021.
The St. Elizabeth College of Nursing (SECON) is a private university located in Utica, NY, United States. The college was a product of the mission and tradition of St. Elizabeth Medical Center (SEMC): with the closing of SEMC in October 2023, SECON is now a part of the Mohawk Valley Health System. Established in 1904 as a single purpose, associate's degree program, St. Elizabeth College of Nursing offers training to become a Registered Nurse.
The Indiana University School of Nursing is an academic college of higher education connected to Indiana University with its main research and educational facilities on the Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis campus and at Indiana University Bloomington. It is known for its nursing research and education, scholarship of teaching and nursing practice, and for its collaborations with IU hospitals and clinical partners. Established in 1914 as the Indiana University Training School for Nurses, it awarded its first nursing diplomas in 1917 and was renamed the IU School of Nursing in 1956. It offers a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, and two doctoral degrees: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). The IU nursing school has received multiple research grants from the National Institutes of Health.
Southeastern College is a private institution of higher learning with campuses in Miami Lakes and West Palm Beach, Florida.