Tag: NLN’s New Program

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.

NLN’s New Program for Nursing Students

The National League for Nursing or NLN declared the release of an important initiative of the NLN Center for Academic and Clinical Transitions. The center is reinforced by grants from Laerdal Medical, the innovator in healthcare education and studying equipment, and Wolters Kluwer Health, marketers of Lippincott nursing material. This unique collaboration of not-for-profit and private business will create collaborative programs to better prepare nursing staff for the progressively complex requirements of nursing practice.

“The requirements placed on modern practicing nursing staff are accelerating, with more sick sufferers, more complex treatments and digital medical records all including new levels of complexity to basic nursing care,” said Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN, CEO of the NLN, whose members consist of more than 38,000 health professional staff and 1,200 educational institutions of nursing. “This center will build a link between those providing nursing education and studying and those guiding nursing staff in practice. Together, we can create the alternatives and resources modern learners need to succeed in this challenging field.”

NLN President Judith Halstead, PhD, RN, FAAN, ANEF declared that the NLN Center’s first program, Accelerating to Practice, will focus on building relationships to enhance the conversion of new nursing staff from education and studying to practice. A team consisting of major health professional teachers and medical center nursing directors will draw on active research to determine the specific capabilities that new nursing staff need to ensure job success.  Then, together with Laerdal Medical and Wolters Kluwer Health, the NLN will create an Accelerating to Practice programs and material, which will be available for implementation by 2015.

“Together we can make a consistent, affordable, and motivating way to help nursing staff be as successful as possible when they enter practice,” said Clive Patrickson, CEO, Laerdal Medical. Wolters Kluwer Health and Laerdal Medical have previously joined on product that incorporate digital health record studying resources with individual cases and manikin simulator, helping learners master the skills of patient record presentation, individual care and follow up certification. The integrated items link to Lippincott books, referrals and eLearning material, to enhance clinical knowledge and verdict, and make engaging student experiences.