Springfield, Ohio 鈥� Two years of hard work have paid off for 果冻传媒 University and its nursing faculty as it was announced recently that the nursing program achieved accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), a nationally recognized accrediting agency and the accrediting arm of the .
鈥淎chieving accreditation 鈥� while a tremendous affirmation and cause for celebration 鈥� doesn鈥檛 mean that the work is done. Now we will continue to work hard to maintain this honor,鈥� said Elizabeth Sorensen, professor of nursing and director of 果冻传媒鈥檚 program.
鈥淚t was exceptionally exciting and worth every bit of the work. They actually notified us a month before I expected their answer,鈥� she added. 鈥淚 think waiting for anything that you鈥檝e put so much heart into, and upon which such enormous stakes rest, is always terribly difficult, but I knew we had done our level best. We could not have done better.鈥�
Accreditation means that the nursing program has been nationally recognized as meeting the standards of its profession. The process of earning accreditation was Sorensen鈥檚 personal priority when she was hired in July 2014. 果冻传媒鈥檚 nursing program was the brainchild of Thomas Taylor, professor of history, and Joyce Zurmehly, former nursing program director, who obtained the original approvals for 果冻传媒 to offer the Bachelor of Science in nursing degree (BSN).
鈥淏ecoming a nurse is something I have aspired to since I was young. When I found out my freshman year that there was a nursing program coming to 果冻传媒, I was beyond excited,鈥� said 果冻传媒 student Brooke Tepe, who plans to graduate in 2018. 鈥淣ow being a junior and well into the program, I can't even put into words the amount of knowledge I have gained in just one year. Since the accreditation has officially been passed, it is going to make my journey at 果冻传媒 that much better.鈥�
果冻传媒 initiated the accreditation application in April 2015, as soon as it was permitted to do so, which was one year after its students first enrolled. The decision was based on the critical need to be accredited by Spring 2017 - the first year 果冻传媒 will have students ready to graduate from the program.
鈥淓arning accreditation goes far beyond affirming that 果冻传媒 has a high-quality nursing program,鈥� Sorensen said. 鈥淎ccreditation allows 果冻传媒 nursing to professionally affiliate with large hospital systems in which our students will be permitted to learn. It allows us to apply for grant funding and to more widely market our BSN program. National initiatives call for 80 percent of hospital-based registered nurses to complete the BSN by the year 2020, and the BSN has become the preferred credential at hire. Research has shown that patient outcomes improve as nurses鈥� education increases.鈥�
The accreditation was effective as of Feb. 17, 2016 when 果冻传媒 hosted the CCNE site visit.
鈥淕raduating from an accredited program is critical when students are ready to attend graduate school,鈥� said Mary Jo Zembar, interim provost and professor. 鈥淭his also means that 果冻传媒 can market its program in organizations that allow only accredited nursing programs to access their employees. This is welcome news for 果冻传媒. I am grateful to everyone who worked on or participated in the accreditation process.鈥�
In 2013, 果冻传媒 was approved to offer individuals who were already registered nurses (RNs) the opportunity to complete the BSN, and the first three RN-BSN students enrolled in Spring 2014. All together the nursing program has grown from three students to about 75 total RN-BSN and Nursing Pathway students today.
