FALL 2015

Dear Colleagues:

The NLN Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation implements its vision and carries out its accreditation activities guided by the National League for Nursing’s core values – caring, diversity, integrity, and excellence – as applied to the accreditation process.

A culture of caring is demonstrated through an accreditation process that reflects a culture of advocacy for quality assurance in nursing education, and is implemented in a collegial, collaborative context with stakeholders. NLN CNEA staff, governance board, committee members, and onsite program evaluation teams demonstrate through their interactions with stakeholders that accreditation standards can be upheld in a rigorous, yet caring and respectful manner.

A culture of diversity is evidenced by a commitment to accredit all types of nursing programs from practical/vocational education through clinical doctoral education. NLN CNEA'saccreditation standards reflect a respect for the diversity of nursing programs’ mission, curricula, faculty, and students that can be found to exist in nursing education nationally and internationally.

A culture of integrity exists throughout NLN CNEA with a commitment to exercising personal, professional, and organizational integrity throughout the accreditation process. This is evidenced, in part, by ensuring transparency and ethical decision-making in all accreditation activities, and demonstrating open communication and timely responsiveness to stakeholders.

A culture of excellence is promoted through establishing clarity of purpose in the accreditation process with an emphasis on fostering continuous quality improvement in nursing programs. The outcome of a culture of excellence collaboratively instilled in nursing programs through participation in the accreditation process is the creation of a student-centered learning environment that prepares a caring and competent nursing workforce.

The NLN core values are evident in the CNEA proposed Standards for Accreditation.

	Proposed Standard I – Culture of Excellence: Program Outcomes
	Proposed Standard II – Culture of Integrity and Accountability: Mission, Governance, and Resources
	Proposed Standard III – Culture of Excellence and Caring: Faculty
	Proposed Standard IV – Culture of Excellence and Caring: Students
	Proposed Standard V – Culture of Learning and Diversity: Curriculum and Evaluation Processes

NLN CNEA continues to develop policies and procedures using our values-centered approach to accreditation.

All best wishes,


Judy Halstead, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
Executive Director
National League for Nursing
Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation
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NLN CNEA EVALUATION COMMITTEE APPOINTED The CNEA Board of Commissioners has appointed members to the Evaluation Committee for a two-year term. CNEA welcomes five committee members to their role. Chaired by Dr. Sharon Decker from the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing, the Evaluation Committee brings together experts experienced in nursing education and practice. The Evaluation Committee is responsible for reviewing the NLN CNEA on-site evaluator applications and developing a plan for school and peer evaluation of all on-site evaluator teams. Sharon Decker, PhD, FAAN, ANEF, Chair Associate Dean for Simulation and Professor, School of Nursing; Covenant Health System Endowed Chair in Simulation and Nursing Education; and Executive Director, F. Marie Hall SimLife Center; Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing, Lubbock, TX Carol Hrusovsky, DNP, RN, Member Dean, Post-Licensure Programs, Hondros College, Westerville, OH Diana Rupert, PhD, RN, CNE, Member Practical Nursing Administrator/Director, Indiana County Technology Center, Indiana, PA Ann Smith, PhD, RN, CPNP, CNE, Member, Nursing Practice Representative Manager, Nurse Residency, Cook Children’s Health Care System, Fort Worth, TX Amy Pettigrew, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF, Board of Commissioners Liaison Dean, Benjamin Leon School of Nursing at Miami Dade College, Miami, FL FIRST COHORT OF NLN CNEA ON-SITE PROGRAM EVALUATORS APPOINTED Based upon recommendations from the NLN CNEA Evaluation Committee, the NLN CNEA Board of Commissioners recently appointed the first cohort of CNEA on-site program evaluators. Consisting of 70 educators from all types of nursing education programs and nurses representing nursing practice, the on-site evaluators will undergo extensive training to prepare them for their important role in the CNEA accreditation process. The first training workshop will be held November 6, 2015, with subsequent training workshops scheduled to be held throughout 2016. There will be additional calls for applications for on-site evaluators in early 2016.