NLN and Nursing Education

Nurses and Public Policies

The National League for Nursing (NLN) is dreaming of more complete nurses under their wing. That is why they are also offering programs that deal with issues outside of the nursing field. Issues such as public policies. This is a subject that is unheard of during the earlier days of nursing. It is a topic that finds its discussions only with civil servants and politicians, not with nurses. But NLN is striving to put the subject of public policy to their nurses.

Making a Difference
Inserting public policy as one of the subjects for nursing courses is raising the level of care to their patients. This is all in place since taking care of your patients is one way of initiating change, which is the desired effect why public policies are instituted.

Coming Together
The spirit of camaraderie is also at work with public policies. This is somehow closely related to the work nurses are doing. Sometimes nurses work not just the concern of a single patient, but the concern of an entire community also.

The Power to Change
Taking care of your patient has its own power. Public policies can change not just laws, but lives as well. That is what NLN wanted their nurses to have. If they can connect their calling as a medical practitioner into something nobler like extending their care to their immediate community, then change is possible.

A Democratic Right
NLN acknowledges that it is a democratic right of every individual to have an accessible health care. And their nurses should be at the forefront of this right. Every person should be entitled to a medical attention regardless of his or her station in life.

The NLN Accreditation

To determine if an educational program meets the professional standard, an evaluation process is done by an outside body. This evaluation process is called an accreditation. Most schools or programs seek accreditation because it tells of the competence of the school or the program. One of the national organizations that has an accreditation entity is the National League for Nursing (NLN).

The NLN is a membership organization for nursing faculty and leaders in education. Part of it is the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) which is the entity that is responsible for the accreditation of nursing education schools and programs. The NLNAC website has a detailed information on a wide variety of nursing programs that has specialized accreditation the NLNAC is responsible for, including clinical doctorate, master’s, bachelor’s, associate’s, diploma, and practical programs.

The NLNAC accreditation serves to provide assurance that schools and nursing programs meet or exceed certain standards and criteria. Nursing schools or programs that have an NLNAC accreditation are able to improve through self-evaluation. The accreditation also helps programs recruit students, assures employers that graduates have competent skills, guide students in their job and education choices, and helps students be eligible for financial assistance from government sources.

Not all schools or programs in nursing have an NLN accreditation. So students who choose to attend non-accredited programs may not be eligible for financial aid. Non-accredited programs may not be transferred as well when students decide to change programs or further education. And the worst, students may have fewer job possibilities if they attend non-accredited programs, especially in the government.

The NLN accreditation done by the NLNAC is an important factor in considering a nursing school or program. Aside from it serving as proof that a program is following professional standard, an accreditation also has benefits that students attending the program can take advantage.

Does an NLN Accreditation Matter?

Many people are unsure about what an accreditation means to a program or a school. Accreditation is a process by which educational programs are evaluated by an outside body that determines if professional standards are being met. In a nursing school or program, one of the national organizations that have an accreditation entity is the NLN or the National League for Nursing.

NLN, a membership organization for nursing faculty and leaders in education, has created the NLNAC (National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission) that is responsible for the accreditation of nursing education schools and programs. The NLNAC, as detailed in the organization’s website, is responsible for the specialized accreditation of a wide variety of nursing programs, including clinical doctorate, master’s, bachelor’s, associate, diploma, and practical programs. The NLNAC accreditation serves to provide assurance that schools and nursing programs meet or exceed certain standards and criteria.

Other benefits of the accreditation are: enables a program to improve through self-evaluation, helps a program recruit students, assures employers that graduates have competent skills, helps guide students in their job and education choices, enables transfer of education credits, and helps students be eligible for financial assistance from government sources.

How does an accreditation affect you? Students who choose to attend non-accredited programs may not be eligible for financial aid and credit may not be transferred as well when they decide to change programs or further education. Job possibilities may also be limited for students who graduated in a non-accredited program especially in working for the government.

Therefore, an NLN accreditation does matter. You want to be confident that everything you are taught meets professional standards and you want to know that the program will prepare you to enter the healthcare industry with the most current skills and knowledge in that field. Attending an NLNAC accredited program is an investment for your future.

The NLN Accreditation’s Significance

The National League for Nursing (NLN) compose a group of nursing advocates such as educators, agencies, and other member of the public, dedicated to the success of the nursing education. The NLN has another entity that is responsible for accrediting nursing schools and programs – NLN Accrediting Commission. Various nursing programs get accreditation.

Nursing schools thrive to have NLN accreditation since it assures their students that their programs meet a or exceed criteria and standards for nursing education. Aside from this, accredited schools have across the country have been known for the large percentage of graduates who pass nursing licensure exams. Thus, employers hire nursing staff from accredited schools since they know these graduates are highly competitive and acquire the necessary skills.

Although accreditation is a sign that a nursing school is in line with quality standards, they may have a chance to loose this valuable validation. That is why schools need to maintain their commitment to the nursing education success.

When considering a nursing school, it’s important to consider an accredited school. Non-accredited programs may not qualify you for financial aid. Also, when you graduate, your employment opportunities may be limited. Employers may hire a nurse from an accredited school, if they had to pick between the two of you. Also, graduates from non-accredited schools may not have a chance to work for the government.

You may wonder, where can you find nursing schools that are accredited? Searching online through the NLN’s official website may help you find a number of schools within your vicinity. Also try to search for schools with candidate status. Candidacy is the first step that leads to NLN accreditation. So when schools offer candidate programs, they’re preparing for accreditation.

National League for Nursing: Striving for Excellence

The National League for Nursing was founded with a vision to promote excellence in the nursing education. They encourage nurses to be educators of the new generation of nurses. NLN identifies itself to be a leader in the Nursing Education which strives to build a strong and diverse nursing workforce of the nation and the global community.

With this goal at hand, it is understood that the National League for Nursing wants to give those nurses in education several opportunities for advancement in their profession. By doing so, NLN continuously designs and creates initiatives that will develop and promote the nursing faculty. This gives nursing professionals the motivation to work as a mentor to the new breed of nurses.

The role of the nurses in the health institutions does not revolve around the patients alone. They also have responsibilities that encompass the facilitation of learning of the nursing students. Every profession in every generation needs a mentor. And to become an effective and inspiring mentor, a certain organization is needed to make opportunities for development. The NLN has seen this and has responded to the need of the nursing educators. Hence, they have established objectives for the betterment of the nursing faculty and the nursing education institution.

When nursing educators affiliate with NLN, numerous opportunities await them. Other than faculty development programs, NLN has become the voice of nurse educators and support them in their interests in politics, academic and professional practice. NLN also initiates to promote evidence-based teaching practices which opens privileges for further study and research. Presently, the National League for Nursing has outlined numerous professional opportunities for nurse educators like educational research grant, write or review items for NLN tests, immersion programs, courses and workshops and many more. Check on their website to learn more about the National League for Nursing.

The NLN Pre-admission Examination

Students who wish to enter the nursing field must go through the NLN PAX before they can enter a nursing school. The National League for Nursing Pre-Admission Examination (NLN PAX) is a standard entrance exam for possible nursing students who are looking for admission into nursing schools across the country. Once they pass the examination, they are qualified to become a nursing student.

The NLN PAX RN and PN consist of three main areas: verbal skills, mathematics and science. In the verbal skill section, the student’s word knowledge and reading comprehension skills will be measured. The mathematics area includes basic calculations, algebra, geometry, basic conversions, graphs, applied mathematics and word problems. While in the science field, the student’s basic knowledge in general biology, physics, chemistry and earth science will be measured. A section on health and first aid is also included.

The examination is intended to measure the readiness of the student in taking the nursing course. It will determine what areas the student is good at and what areas need more improvement. Each area contains all multiple-choice questions and consists of experimental items for the purpose of future test development. Answers to these questions are not counted in the scoring.

If you are planning to register for the examination, you may register online on http://www.nlnonlinetesting.org. There are specific instructions that you need to follow for the registration. Once you pay the Pre-Admission NLN for RN Examination, you will need to create your own login and password. You must not forget your login and password that you made on the NLN website, as you will need this information on your examination date.

Taking the NLN Pre-Admission exam

If you are planning to enter the field of nursing, you need to acquire certain requirements. You need to pass first the National League for Nursing Pre-Admission Examination (NLN PAX). It is actually a standard entrance exam for potential student nurses seeking admittance into nursing schools countrywide. Every nursing student is required to take this examination before you are permitted to sign up to a certain program.

The NLN PAX RN and PN comprise three primary areas which are the verbal, mathematics and science. The verbal skills of the student will be measured by testing their word understanding and reading comprehension. The mathematics area includes basic calculations, problem solving, algebra, conversions, graphs, applied mathematics and geometry. In science, subject matters include physics, chemistry and general biology. You are given an hour for each section. All in all you, need to answer 214 questions. Each section includes all multiple-choice questions and experimental questions with regards to future test development. Answers to those questions aren’t counted in the scoring because it will be utilized as a baseline or test questions for future use.

Candidates may register online, just do as instructed online to sign up and take the Pre-Admission National League for Nursing for RN Examination. Remember and take note of your login and password you created in the NLN website, because you will need these details in your examination date. Students are permitted to take the NLN Pre-Admission Exam once every six weeks. Though the subjects involved with the exam are covered in high school, you still need to have a review. Make some preparations by reviewing your notes in high school or picking a review center. Just review the basics and some important details of the subjects mentioned and you will be fine.

Two recent NLN documents address the NLN’s commitment to improving the science of nursing education and nursing education research while maintaining a focus on patient-centered care and safe medical practice. “For three decades, the NLN has devoted programming and resources to develop a powerful community of nurse educator scholars that complement the growth and improvement of programs that prepare clinical nurse researchers,” said NLN president Judith Halstead, PhD, RN, FAAN, ANEF. “We are proud of that legacy. The new ‘NLN Vision: Transforming Research in Nursing Education’ and ‘Priorities for Research in Nursing Education’ develop on our mission to promote quality in medical knowledge to develop a powerful and diverse workforce to relocate the nation’s health.”

As stated in the NLN Vision: “The new times for medical and wellness care engendered by wellness care change require partnerships, collaboration, and systems integration. The NLN’s ‘Priorities for Research in Nursing Education’ call for building linkages between practice and education; improving the science of nursing education through the growth of more rigorous and robust analysis designs and evaluation protocols; determining and developing effective emerging technologies to transform pedagogical approaches; and creating leadership possibilities for faculty and nursing education research scholars.”

“The research main concerns were developed in consultation with nursing management in practice and education who came together at the behest of the NLN to develop an experienced strategy for guiding research projects in the years ahead,” added NLN CEO Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN. “With the help of colleagues, the NLN continues to define and improve the research necessary to relocate quality in nursing education.” Dedicated to quality in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the premier organization for nursing faculty and management in nursing education. The NLN offers faculty growth, networking possibilities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy projects to its 37,000 individual and more than 1,200 institutional members who represent nursing teaching programs across the variety of higher education.