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LPN Program Receives Accreditation
Health care education at Northeast Alabama
Community College took another major step forward with the
recent announced accreditation of the Practical Nursing by the
National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).
Northeast’s Practical Nursing program joins a select group in
Alabama. Only about half of the state’s Practical Nursing
programs at colleges are accredited by the NLNAC.
The NLNAC is nationally recognized by the U.S. Department of
Education as the accrediting agency for postsecondary and higher
degree nursing programs. NLNAC provides specialized
accreditation for all types of nursing education programs
including practical nursing, associate degree, baccalaureate,
and graduate programs.
“This is an outstanding accomplishment for Northeast and our
Nursing Program,” stated Dr. David Campbell, NACC President.
“Our Nursing Instructors have worked very hard for this
achievement. This accreditation demonstrates what an excellent
nursing staff and program we have at Northeast.” Campbell added
that the Practical Nursing program was added at Northeast in
2004 to provide more health care workers for the area. “We see
providing health care workers as a very important part of our
mission as a college,” Campbell added. “All indications are that
there is going to be more and more a need for nurses and health
care workers in the future. We want to provide the best trained
nurses and health care workers that we can. We know how
important they are.”
Accreditation is not required for Practical Nursing programs but
is a voluntary process whereby programs conduct an internal
self-study and provide data which exemplifies excellence. The
NLNAC review includes an external evaluation from nurse
educators from other states. Nursing programs are recognized for
exceeding standards and criteria which reflect educational
quality. Accreditation indicates to the general public and to
the educational community that a nursing program has clear and
appropriate educational objectives and has successfully achieved
their objectives.
The nursing faculty, nursing students, clinical agencies,
nursing graduates, and the general faculty at the college
participated in the review. “We are pleased with the outcome of
the review,” stated Dr. Cindy Jones, NACC Director of Nursing.
“Since the program began in 2004, it has been our goal to
achieve accreditation. It is a status symbol that all nursing
programs seek to achieve.” The Practical Nursing Program has
maintained a NCLEX passing rate of 100% for four consecutive
years. The first practical nursing class was admitted in the
fall of 2004. The employment rate of the LPN’s has remained at
100% following graduation.
For information on the Practical Nursing Program, contact Jane
Hopson, PN Coordinator, at
hopsonj@nacc.edu or phone ext. 407; or Dr. Cindy Jones,
Director of Nursing Education, at
jonesc@nacc.edu or phone
ext. 316; or visit the webpage
Health Sciences.
Pictured are (L-R) Dr. David Campbell,
President of NACC; Jane Hopson, PN Coordinator; and Dr. Cindy
Jones, Director of Nursing Education.
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