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Nursing School Accreditation

When considering nursing school, the accredited status of the school should be a major factor in your decision because nursing is subject to state regulation.

Why is accreditation important? Accreditation enables you to take advantage of state and federal financial aid programs, and can give you confidence in your education -- that it is reliable, has integrity, and is valued by the health industry.

Two national bodies recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) accredit nursing institutions and programs. The first is the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) , which serves to accredit all nursing programs up to a master's degree. The second is the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) , which only accredits programs offering master's and bachelor's degrees.

In addition to the NLNAC and CCNE, six regional bodies accredit nursing programs:

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges
• Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
• Middle State Association of Colleges and Schools

Additional resources pertaining to medical program accreditation are:

• American Medical Association (AMA)
• American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)

Several other organizations accredit educational programs for advance practice specialties, including the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs/Schools (COA) of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) for nurse anesthesia and the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Division of Accreditation for nurse midwifery.

Accreditations last for specific time periods, often five or ten years; they are then reviewed by the accrediting organization. It is very rare for accreditations not to be renewed, but to be on the safe side, you might want to check with any school you're thinking of attending or the relevant accrediting bodies to find out for how long the school and its programs are currently accredited.

Make sure your school passes the accreditation test. You can find accredited schools here at nursingschools.com.