Dec 11, 2014 07:18 PM EST By J Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

Niagara University's nursing programs have been reaccredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), school officials announced.

The 10-year accreditation (through 2023)  pertains to all of Niagara's nursing programs, which include a B.S. in nursing, an RN-to-B.S. post-associate completion program and an accelerated B.S. in nursing.

"This is welcome and wonderful news for our nursing students, alumni, faculty and staff," Rev. James J. Maher, Niagara University president, said in a statement. "Accreditation is a long and thorough process, indicative of program quality. Our nursing department has emerged from it more determined than ever to continue delivering a world-class education to our students."

CCNE accreditation is a nongovernmental peer review process that operates in accordance with nationally recognized standards established for the practice of accreditation in the United States. It serves the public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage in effective educational practices. As a voluntary, self-regulatory process, CCNE accreditation supports and encourages continuing self-assessment by nursing programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education and post-baccalaureate nurse residency programs.

Achieving accreditation is a process of rigorous internal review, evaluation and adjustment that can take several years to complete. During this time, the school develops and implements a plan to meet the CCNE accreditation standards.

"So much university-wide collaboration went into this process, including students, faculty and staff who helped develop our plan. This could not have been accomplished without the hard work and support of the entire Niagara family," said Fran Crosby, chair of the nursing department.

Niagara University is presently planning to construct a state-of-the-art Nursing Simulation Center on its campus. The center will provide "hands-on" opportunities for students to manage patient encounters and skills in a risk-free, virtual reality environment, while supporting traditional classroom learning and clinical practice experiences.

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