U.S. Virgin Islands, June 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) School of Nursing’s (SON) accreditation has been reaffirmed by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The ACEN Board of Commissioners (BOC) granted continuing accreditation to the baccalaureate nursing program in April 2020. The SON will remain accredited for the next seven years and is scheduled for its next evaluation visit for Fall 2027.
"I am exceedingly proud of the UVI School of Nursing. Achieving this monumental goal, exemplifies what we at UVI have always known, students attending UVI receive an excellent, comprehensive and rigorous education that provides a solid foundation to launch their careers,” said UVI President Dr. David Hall. “I thank Dean Lansiquot and her team for their hard work and dedication to our students and this University."
“I am honored to be leading the team of faculty at staff at the School of Nursing whose efforts contributed to achieving continuing accreditation through the fall 2027,” said Dr. Beverly Lansiquot, dean of the UVI School of Nursing. “Maintaining the quality of the BSN program offered at the SON is a continuous process of planning, ongoing self-assessment and improvement of a nursing program.”
The re-accreditation process at UVI began in September 2019 with the submission of a Self-Study Report regarding its compliance with the ACEN accreditation standards and criteria. There were several subsequent steps to the reaffirmation, including a site visit by peer evaluators who provide an onsite review inclusive of interviews, observations, tours, and a review of exhibits. Following the visit, an Evaluation Review Panel (ERP) appointed by the ACEN Board of Commissioners to conduct its own independent analysis regarding the extent to which the program meets the ACEN Standards offered their recommendations. Taking all the information gathered from the previous steps into consideration, the BOC made its final deliberations and decisions and granted continued accreditation. At the end of its reaccreditation process, the University was found to be in compliance in majority areas, with a few recommendations for changes.
“The work required to achieve continuing accreditation started in 2014 with a strategic planning exercise, which was followed by the revision of the BSN Curriculum introduced in 2016 on both campuses,” Dr. Lansiquot said. “For the last three years faculty members were engaged in collecting and analyzing data and submitted that Self-Study Report in September 2019.”
“Accreditation of the BSN program assures the public that UVI nursing graduates completed a program recognized nationally for its quality and outcomes,” she stated. “UVI Nursing graduates are academically prepared, technically competent, compassionate, professional and ethical in the delivery of nursing care.”
The University’s Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing is a four-year program that prepares graduates to take the licensing examination (NCLEX-RN) to become a Registered Nurse (RN).
As the leading authority in nursing education accreditation, the goal of the ACEN is to be a supportive partner in strengthening the quality of nursing education and transition-to-practice programs. The ACEN is recognized as an accrediting body by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). ACEN is also one of the largest specialized accrediting agencies, accrediting nursing programs throughout the United States, its territories, and internationally.