ACEN Standards & Criteria Review: Request for Volunteers

Higher education is facing significant change and challenges which may have enduring effects on nurses, healthcare, and the education of future nurses around the world. As these changes coincide with the scheduled review of the ACEN Standards and Criteria, we have a unique opportunity to reaffirm and strengthen the framework that supports quality in nursing education. This review will help ensure that the ACEN Standards and Criteria continue to meet the evolving needs of our profession and nursing practice—both now and in the years ahead.

 

In accordance with ACEN Policy #24: Assessment of the Adequacy of Standards and Criteria, ACEN Process, and Practices, the ACEN is seeking a variety of volunteers to participate in the review and revision of the 2023 Standards and Criteria. The goal is to ensure that the Standards and Criteria continue to serve as valid and reliable indicators of educational quality across ACEN-accredited programs worldwide, while remaining relevant to the educational needs of students.

 

Types of Volunteers Needed:

  •       nursing students enrolled in ACEN-accredited or ACEN candidate undergraduate        and graduate nursing programs worldwide;
  •       nurse clinicians from a variety of healthcare settings, especially clinicians                          that work with newly licensed LPNs, RNs, and APRNs;
  •       nurse educators teaching in ACEN-accredited or ACEN candidate undergraduate        and graduate nursing programs worldwide; and
  •       other communities of interest such as those that have no relationship with                    nursing.

 

Nominations close February 1, 2026

Timeline

Activity

Spring 2026

Nomination of volunteers.

March 2026

Selection and notification of review teams.

·     A cross-section of representatives from the selected volunteers will be divided into two teams to review a set of Standards (Standards 1, 2 and 3; Standards 4 & 5) for all program types – practical, diploma, associate, baccalaureate, master’s and clinical doctorate nursing programs.

·     Orientation and guidance materials will be provided to the teams.

June 13-14, 2026

One in-person meeting for all volunteers on both teams in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Summer 2026, Fall 2026, and Spring 2027

·     Using videoconferencing technology, each team will meet approximately twice per month throughout the review process, which will involve discussions on the 2023 Standards and Criteria, analysis of data, review of reference documents, review of public comments, and other pertinent information.

·     Each team will make recommendations regarding revisions to the Standards and Criteria to the ACEN Board of Commissioners.

 

 

July 2027

The ACEN Board of Commissioners will consider recommendations from the teams and will finalize/approve the 2028 Standards and Criteria.

January 1, 2028

Implementation of the 2028 Standards and Criteria begins with any programs being reviewed during 2028 having the choice of using the 2023 Standards and Criteria or the 2028 Standards and Criteria.

January 1, 2028

Mandatory use by all programs of the 2028 Standards and Criteria.

Be a part of this unique opportunity to reaffirm and strengthen the framework that supports quality in nursing education! 


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