Tabor College nursing program receives full accreditation term

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN
The Tabor College nursing program, which began with 12 students in February 2001, received official notification from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) that it was granted the full five years of accreditation available for initial accreditation.

This action follows an on-site evaluation and reported submitted by a peer evaluation team to CCNE and the nursing program. The CCNE Board of Commissioners granted accreditation at its spring meeting.

“It is unusual for a program to apply and receive accreditation this early in the program’s history,” said Howard Keim, vice president of academic affairs.

“That we have been successful is a tribute to the work of Jane Perkins, the nursing faculty at Tabor College Wichita and all of the others who assisted with this project.”

The registered nursing/bachelor of science nursing program, under the direction of Perkins, chair of the department of nursing education, is designed for working nurses who are seeking a bachelor of science in nursing degree.

Members of the first class include the following: Rita D. Davis, Wichita; Mary Herring, Wichita; Sheryl C. Jones, posthumously, Wichita; Linda J. Dighero Luzier, Hesston; Cindy Martling, Wichita; Juanita R. Regier, Moundridge; Janice Lee Schroeder, Inman; and Deborah Lynette Sturgeon, Hillsboro.

Davis, Jones, Luzier, Regier, Schroeder and Sturgeon graduated from Tabor on Saturday.

The program met four standards regarding the quality of the nursing program before accreditation was given: (1) the program’s mission and governance, (2) institutional commitment and resources, (3) curriculum and teaching-learning practices and (4) program effectiveness, including student performance and faculty accomplishments.

“Attaining accreditation this early gives our emerging program credibility,” Perkins said. “Conducting an extensive self-evaluation using the standards provided by CCNE and The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education published by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing caused us to look at all aspects of our program.

“By doing it early, we have been able to determine that the program is on the correct track in meeting accreditation standards.”

Tabor president Larry Nikkel is already looking toward the future.

“The accreditation serves as a tremendous vote of confidence in the quality of our program,” he said. “It will serve as a springboard for increased enrollments and further program development.”

CCNE, an independent accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education, seeks to contribute to the improvement of the public’s health. CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate and graduate education programs of preparing effective nurses, and encourages the continuance of self-assessment by nursing-education programs and growth and improvement of collegiate professional education.

More from article archives
Major highway projects to disrupt drivers in county
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN JERRY ENGLER The Kansas Department of Transportation office at Marion...
Read More