Edison State Granted NLNAC Candidacy Status for BSN Program
Sep 19, 2011
Edison State College Granted NLNAC Candidacy Status for BSN Program
September 19, 2011 – FORT MYERS, FLA. -- The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Inc. (NLNAC) has granted Edison State College’s baccalaureate nursing program Candidacy status.
“This key step affirms our commitment to providing a program that fully prepares our students to advance their career opportunities in the nursing field,” said Dr. Kenneth Walker, District President. “Edison State College has a long-standing tradition of excellence in our nursing programs.”
According to the NLNAC, Edison State College’s candidacy status is valid until September 2013. Once an institution earns candidacy status, the next step is to conduct a self study. Once completed and submitted for review, Edison State College will then prepare for a three-day, onsite evaluation, after which the NLNAC decides on full accreditation. Edison State College is working on the self-study.
“It is our goal to achieve full accreditation in the spring of next year,” said Dr. Walker. “That would mean our spring 2012 BSN students may be graduates of a program that also has the NLNAC accreditation.”
Currently, Edison State College’s BSN program graduates now have 16 colleges and universities that will accept their applications for the MSN programs.
“We’ve been working diligently to contact graduate institutions and are pleased that many colleges and universities will consider our BSN graduates. We continue to explore additional graduate school options where our students may apply to continue their studies at the master’s level,” said Kristen Zimmerman, Dean of Program Development and Baccalaureate Initiatives.
Zimmerman added that students currently enrolled in the BSN program have three options. The first is to graduate as planned, regardless of achievement of additional national accreditation; the second is to transfer to another program; and the third is to slow progress toward graduation, and apply to graduate in a later term, at which time Edison State College officials hope to achieve full NLNAC accreditation for the BSN program.
The NLNAC is an accrediting organization for post-secondary and higher degree education nursing programs, ranging from practical and diploma to baccalaureate and clinical doctorates. As of December 2010, the NLNAC has accredited 234 baccalaureate and 673 associate nursing degree programs.
All Edison State College BSN graduates’ degrees include the college’s regional accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The NLNAC accreditation is not retroactive. Edison State College’s associate degree in nursing program is accredited by the NLNAC.
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Celebrating nearly 50 years of excellence, Edison State College is Southwest Florida’s largest, most accessible and most affordable institution of higher education. Proud to be tobacco-free, Edison State serves more than 25,000 students per year in five counties and online. For more information please visit www.edison.edu.
Contact: Teresa Morgenstern, Office: (239) 732-3901; Mobile: (239) 821-3978 E: tmorgenstern@edison.edu
Last Updated: September 19, 2011
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