Accreditation of Continuing Nursing Education
In 1974, the American Nurses Association (ANA) established a voluntary system for accreditation of continuing nursing education . The essential purpose of this system is to provide professional nursing judgment on the quality of the continuing nursing education offered. Accreditation is a peer review system based on designated standards and criteria for continuing education in nursing.
The original governance structure of the accreditation program was a National Accreditation Board and its five regional accrediting committees, or RACs as they were known, and a National Review Committee, which evaluated nurse practitioner certificate programs. The first accreditation was in 1976. Over the years, the structure of the accreditation program evolved. In 1979, the system was streamlined when the work of two RACs and the National Review Committee was consolidated into three regional committees: the eastern, central and western regional committees. At the end of 1984, the National Accrediting Board became the Board on Accreditation.
In 1988, a revised governance structure was implemented, eliminating the regional accrediting committee level and restructuring the Board on Accreditation. This revision was undertaken to ensure an equitable system and to make that system more accessible. Providers of continuing nursing education were now able to apply to the Board on Accreditation for an organizational accreditation or to apply to an accredited approver for approval of specific educational activities or organizational approval. Also in 1988, the Board on Accreditation implemented the 1984 ANA House of Delegates resolution requiring a master's degree to be the minimum preparation for entry into advanced practice levels, and ceased accreditation of nurse practitioner certificate programs. There are, however, several nurse practitioner programs that have maintained accredited provider status as continuing education programs.
ANA's Center for Credentialing Services became the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in January 1991. As a separately incorporated subsidiary of the association, ANCC administers the Credentialing programs of ANA, which include both accreditation and certification and which are based on ANA's standards for nursing education, nursing practice and nursing service.
The ANCC Commission on Accreditation, using ANA's Scope and Standards of Practice for Nursing Professional Development, is responsible for developing and administering the operational policies, procedures, and criteria that govern the accreditation and approval processes. The commission defines accreditation as a voluntary process for appraising and granting recognition to an organization or institution that meets established standards based on predetermined criteria. There are two categories of accreditation available in the ANCC system: 1) accreditation as an approver of continuing education in nursing, and 2) accreditation as a provider of continuing education in nursing.
As a result of the changes in the accreditation program over the past several years, some organizations may still be using the accreditation statements given to them by the Commission on Accreditation's predecessor, the Board on Accreditation, or in a few instances a regional accrediting committee. While these organizations are working to implement the new terminology in their certificates and publicity materials, the Commission on Accreditation, the accrediting body, is responsible for all accredited organizations. The bylaws of ANCC stipulate that an organization accredited by ANA shall be deemed accredited by ANCC. If there are any comments, complaints, or inquiries about accredited organizations, please contact the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
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