Choosing a CCNE-accredited RN to BSN program
Accreditation is the award of validation to a school, college or university upon completion of a voluntary process of independent review. Accrediting bodies are external entities that provide quality assessments to ensure the quality of faculty, students, curriculum and resources with the goal of graduating well-prepared professionals in the fields they enter. It assures you and your employer of the value of your education.
Why Is Accreditation Important in an RN to BSN Program?
Accreditation is such a critical feature in a Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science (RN to BSN) program that it should be one of the first things you consider in a BSN online since employers prefer healthcare professionals whose degrees are accredited by a recognized nursing accrediting body.
Because of its rigorous standards for faculty and student quality, curriculum, training and resources, healthcare employers want nurses with degrees that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
CCNE-Accredited Programs Must Adhere to High Professional and Clinical Standards
Accrediting bodies are guardians of educational integrity and accountability. They set standards and promote values within their professional fields. In this way, CCNE considers itself an important advocate for public health and a key player in improving nursing programs and professional practice. CCNE is, for all intents and purposes, a guarantee of quality assurance whether you earn your BSN online or on campus.
CCNE鈥檚 process includes peer review, onsite evaluation and improvement planning. Many RN to BSN programs are based on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing鈥檚 (AACN鈥檚) quality standards. Curricular expectations include a quality liberal arts education, evidence-based practice scholarship, technology, interprofessional communication and collaboration standards, community health, wellness and prevention, and professionalism and ethics training. There are also expectations for the number and nature of clinical experiences necessary prior to graduation. Institutions that meet these guidelines are accredited or re-accredited.
Because earning a BSN online has become popular, especially among RNs who already work full time, CCNE also accredits BSN online programs based on the same standards as traditional RN to BSN programs.
CCNE-accredited RN to BSN programs, whether offered online or on campus, provide assurance to an employer that you are a well-prepared nurse. They also guarantee the value of your educational investment. Because employers prefer nurses whose degrees are accredited, and because CCNE鈥檚 accreditation standards are some of the most respected in the nursing field, it~@~Ys worth considering nursing schools whose online and traditional RN to BSN programs are CCNE-accredited.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
Learn more about the UL Lafayette online RN to BSN program.
