Development of Standards and Criteria for Accreditation of Baccalaureate Nursing Education Program

Abstract

The goal of accreditation is to ensure that the education provided by an institution of higher education meets an acceptable level of quality. This study developed standards and criteria for accreditation of baccalaureate nursing education programs, by comparing accreditation in South Korea and in the United States, and validating standards and criteria. A main comparative analysis was made between Nursing League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) standards, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) standards for accreditation of baccalaureate nursing education programs, and Korean Accreditation Board of Nursing standards for accreditation of nursing education programs. The research team developed and validated standards and criteria for South Korean baccalaureate nursing education programs. Using the results of the analysis, revisions are proposed to standards for accreditation of baccalaureate nursing education programs, and categorized into 24 criteria and six domains: mission and governance, curriculum and teaching-learning practices, students, faculty, resources, effectiveness. Further studies are required to refine the standards and criteria and make them sophisticated enough to be applied globally.