Elon University’s nursing program received accreditation after four years of the program’s existence from the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation, after launching in fall 2021.
The School of Health Sciences currently offers two programs for students majoring in nursing — a traditional four year program or an accelerated 16 month program for students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree in another discipline.
According to the NLN CNEA, it evaluates programs on five standards that reflect excellence, integrity, diversity and caring within the field. This includes establishing program outcomes for benchmarking, a mission and governance in alignment with the university’s mission, faculty opportunities for professional development, admission and retention of qualified students, and an up-to-date curriculum and evaluation processes that reflect societal and health care trends.
In a press release sent out by Elon University on Feb. 27, professor and department chair of the nursing program, Cathy Quay said the accreditation in part comes from work of the faculty and staff of the nursing program.
“Our faculty and staff strive to prepare future nurses who are compassionate and practice at the highest level,” Quay said in the press release. “We achieve this goal through a dedication to teaching excellence and to seeking out ways to continue to improve and grow professionally and personally.”
Since the nursing program’s creation in fall 2021 there has been a 340% increase in nursing majors at Elon University.
In addition to the increase in nursing students, Elon University has seen development in the School of Health Sciences with a physicians assistants program opening at the Charlotte campus in 2027.