Regulating and Accreditating Agencies
In Nursing Education
January 21, 2013

Regulatory agencies and accreditation bodies have been used to guide and enforce nursing practice and education for years. Nursing practice regulation was started to protect nurses and the communities they serve in. Today, the primary purpose of regulation has remained virtually unchanged, but now “also relates to defining nursing practices as well as nursing education” (Flook, 2003, p. 161). Regulation agencies play many roles in nursing educational settings. Accrediting agencies help students ensure that they are choosing a school program that practices competent, professional nursing practices. Choosing a nursing program that is accredited ensures that the curricula and education received conforms to certain requirements and provides comfort to students, knowing that their investments in their education is not wasted (University of San Francisco, 2011).
Regulatory Agencies
A regulatory agency creates and “enforces rules or regulations that carry the full force of the law”. “The ultimate goal of nursing regulation is to protect the public from harm” (Flook, 2003, p. 163).
The Boards of Nursing (BON) were established over 100 years ago to protect the health of the public by supervising and ensuring safe nursing practice. Boards of Nursing were established to enforce regulations for the unsafe, unethical, and incompetent nursing practices. The BON is a very influential entity present in all states nationwide. The BON regulates the licensure of nurses, education requirements, and complaints of nurses and their practices. Every state enforces individual laws regarding the practice of nursing, which can vary from state to state. The laws of each state should be thoroughly reviewed to avoid any future problems that may arise and must be abided by all nursing students, faculty, and staff. The BON’s mission is to enforce the nurse practice act and nurse licensure, to accredit or approve nurse education programs in schools and universities, develop practice standards, policies, administrative rules, and regulations (NCSBN, 2012). Licenses are issued by the BON’s based on applicants meeting all requirements for licensure set by each state’s rules and regulations. The BON also authorizes the use of nursing licensure exams and approves nursing education programs under the stipulation that the established criteria have been met.
Another regulation agency that is associated with the State Boards of Nursing is the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). This independent regulation agency was created to protect the public, ensuring that nurses are knowledgeable of and perform competent practices and patient cares. The NCSBN creates and maintains the NCLEX-RN exam, which must be passed by student nurses to become licensed by their state of residence or practice. This agency works with nursing schools to influence the curriculum by formulating questions from the exams. The NCSBN also monitors trends in nursing education and practice, conducts research, and allows peers to collaborate on various public health concerns (NCSBN, 2012).
NCSBN is the vehicle through which boards of nursing act and counsel together on matters of common interest. These member boards are responsible for providing regulatory excellence for public health, safety, and welfare (NCSBN, 2012). The NCSBN serves as the voice of nursing regulation and has many responsibilities: 1) Developing the NCLEX-RN and other medical exams; 2) Monitoring trends in public policy, nursing practice, and education; 3) Distributing data that is related to nursing licensure; 4) Conducting research on nursing practice issues; and 5) Maintaining databases that coordinate national and public nursing licensure information (NCSBN, 2012).
The NCSBN develops the RN NCLEX exam for nursing students to become licensed to practice nursing in their state. The NCSBN offers review courses that entail comprehensive nursing content that is organized according to the current NCLEX test plans. They also offer nurses continuing education opportunities for long-term growth and professional development that will allow nurses to gain core competencies necessary to practice. The use of continuing education provides nurses with improved professional skills and competences, allowing them to work with increased confidence, develop leadership skills, and provide the safest and highest level of patient care possible.
Nursing faculty can benefit as well, by taking advantage of courses offered that provide current, real-life knowledge that assists faculty with the development of test and curriculum and assessments of critical thinking. NCSBN supports the necessary incorporation of planned, structured, and supervised clinical instruction that is essential for the most current nursing practices and education. This agency also provides guidance to nursing boards in the evaluation process of nursing applicants to ensure that all students have received effective education and clinical nursing training.
Accreditation Agencies
Accreditation is a process of reviewing nursing programs’ policies and practices within an educational institution by an external accrediting body to ensure that professional standards are being met.
The Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is an accrediting agency that strives to improve nursing practice and the health of communities. CCNE is responsible for ensuring the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing education (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2013). The CCNE reviews and investigates nursing programs that incorporate educational nursing practices on a voluntary basis. The CCNE’s mission is comprised of several purposes and intentions: 1) hold nursing programs accountable to the community of interest; 2) evaluate the success of nursing programs that achieve set goals and meet expected outcomes; 3) evaluate how nursing programs meet the standards for accreditation and how programs implement changes for continued improvement; and 4) inform the public of the value of accreditation that will provide institutions of such status with deserved recognition (University of San Francisco, 2011). This accrediting agency continuously revises and improves their standards. To given an example: the CCNE standards documents were reviewed in January of 2005. Modifications were made by the CCNE (2005) to “improve consistency in use of terminology, clarification of intent, and the elimination of redundancy”. These documents also “identify specific sets of professional nursing guidelines that programs must use as the foundation for curricula” (para 1).
Conclusion
Nursing schools are governed by regulatory agencies to ensure the safety of the students and patients under their care. The accreditation status of a school indicates that the school meets operation requirements and the ability to graduate students that are approved to work in the nursing profession. Without regulatory and accrediting agencies, students may graduate from nursing programs without the proper knowledge of safe clinical practices or be able to handle medical emergencies.
References:
Flook, D.M., (2003). The professional nurse and regulation. Journal of Perianesth Nurse. 2003 Jun; 18(3):160-7.
National Council of State Boards of Nursing, (2012). Nursing Education, Licensure, & Practice. Retrieved January 16, 2013 from: https://www.ncsbn.org/1623.htm
NCSBN Practice, Regulation, and Education Committee, (2005). Clinical Instruction in Prelicensure Nursing Programs. National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. Retrieved January 18, 2013 from: https://www.ncsbn.org/Final_Clinical_Instr_Pre_Nsg_programs.pdf
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing, (2013). Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education: Mission, Values, & History. Retrieved January 20, 2013 from: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ccne-accreditation/about/mission-values-history
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (2005, October, 16). Press Release: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Amends Accreditation Standards. Association of Faculties of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Retrieved January 18, 2013 from: http://www.afpnp.org/PressReleaseFinal1003.pdf
University of San Francisco, (2011). Nursing Program Accreditation Resources. Retrieved January 18, 2013 from: http://onlinemsn.usfca.edu/news-resources/nursing-program-accreditation-resources/