What Is an Accredited Nursing School?

Nursing accreditation is granted to nursing schools that meet requirements set by various regional or national accrediting organizations. Requirements may include specific coursework that students must complete, clinical experiences and even class size within the program. Accreditation by a national accrediting organization is generally seen as the mark of a good nursing program.

History

Most nurses gained their education on the job at work in hospitals until the 1950s. Today, many colleges and universities provide accredited programs of coursework that qualify nurses to practice in the field, and this is the route that the vast majority of aspiring nurses take.

Significance

Accreditation is a process of approval that is conducted by an outside organization. In nursing, one major accreditation organization is the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. Accrediting organizations establish certain standards that programs must meet, such as particular courses or hours of clinical experience that are required of students. If programs meet these standards, they may qualify for accreditation by the organization.

Function

Students considering various nursing schools should ask about whether the school is accredited. A state board may approve a nursing school and permit it to offer nursing degrees, but the school may not have national accreditation. Students should seek programs that have demonstrated their compliance with national standards for nursing education by obtaining national-level accreditation.

Time Frame

Nursing schools must re-apply for accreditation periodically to show that they continue to comply with the accreditor's standards. This process can be time-consuming and expensive for schools, but is necessary to retain their reputation in the field.

Geography

There are some regional accrediting organizations that examine and accredit nursing schools, along with the national organizations. National accreditation is generally viewed as a greater standard for these programs.

Considerations

Accreditation includes such issues as class size, clinical opportunities, breadth and depth of required nursing coursework and so on. Nursing programs that are not accredited may not offer as rigorous an educational experience as those who have sought and obtained accreditation. Students considering these programs should factor into their choices the potentially lesser education they might obtain in a non-accredited program and the risk that such a program might not appear desirable to prospective employers.

References

• Guide to Nursing School Accreditation
• History of Nursing