The Patrick Henry Community College (PHCC) associate degree nursing program has once again secured continuing national accreditation through the Accreditation Commission of Education in Nursing (ACEN). This extends the associate degree nursing program accreditation through spring 2021. PHCC graduated its first associate degree nursing cohort in 1972 and has received the prestigious national accreditation continuously since 1992. The lengthy, voluntary process requires compliance with the accreditation standards evidenced by self-study creation, annual reporting, follow-up reporting, site visits, and a final review by the ACEN Board of Commissioners. The entire process took place over a three year period. Accreditation assures PHCC nursing students are eligible for federal financial aid assistance and other needed resources. The ACEN also meets the recognition standards of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation which ensures quality, accountability, and improvement. It indicates that the PHCC program has clear and appropriate educational objectives and is working to achieve these objectives. A systematic ongoing review of all components of the accreditation process is essential to ensure an up-to-date, reliable, and valid accrediting process. “This accreditation serves as a reflection of the quality of work being done by our nursing faculty and the quality of the education our nursing graduates receive,” says Coordinator of Health Sciences Amy Webster. “Although the process is long and tedious, it opens doors for our students as they strive to enter the nursing field.”
