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The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing is accredited by CCNE, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The School has held this accreditation, the gold standard for schools offering the baccalaureate and higher degrees, since 1999. As is the norm, the accreditation process is cycled so that every ten years the school must apply for re-accreditation. This is usual and customary and is not outside of the norm for accredited schools of nursing. For the SIUE School of Nursing, this means that our school will be reviewed in 2008 with the re-accreditation occurring in 2009. The Faculty and Administrators in the School have been working towards this event since the last accreditation visit in 1998 and have revved up its efforts as we near the next site visit in the fall of 2008. Work groups are formed and the entire project is being spearheaded by Associate Dean Boyd and Associate Professor Cruz. In this phase, we are analyzing data about the quality of our programming, enrollment, graduation rates, and measures for constant quality improvement. This will culminate in the production of an 80-page written report addressing the standards for nursing education as outlined by CCNE. In addition, evidence of the students’ accomplishments is also gathered and placed in a reading room. The report will be sent to the CCNE central office in May, 2008. In November of 2008 a four-person team will be assigned by CCNE to visit the School of Nursing. The site visitors will be present for two and a half days during which time they will spend time in clinical with our students, visit classes, review school files, interview university and school of nursing administrators and School of Nursing faculty and students. Again this is the normal process for a re-accreditation visit. The SIUE School of Nursing has much to be proud of and fully expects a positive review with full re-accreditation once again. This will be an important milestone as an accredited nursing school attests to the quality and strength of the nursing program and provides the “stamp of approval” for the public assuring them that the standards of nursing education are fully met and the graduates of the School’s programs are eminently qualified to render patient care. Marcia Maurer, PhD, RN Dean & Professor, School of Nursing | ||