The report must be based upon the NLNAC Accreditation Standards and Criteria in effect at the time of the review and the most recent edition of the NLNAC Accreditation Manual. Accreditation Standards and Criteria become effective on the Commission approval date. Programs scheduled for review within twelve months of revision of the Standards and Criteria may elect to use the current or the former version of the Standards and Criteria.

Faculty and administrators are responsible for presenting evidence that clearly indicates how the NLNAC Accreditation Standards and Criteria are being met. Members of the site visit team will use the Self-Study Report in preparation for their visit to the program.

Six (6) paper copies of the Self-Study Report;

Six (6) electronic (CD/USB flash drive) copies of the Self-Study Report;

Six (6) copies (paper or CD/USB flash drive) of the current catalog; and

One (1) paper copy of the Executive Summary (first-section of the Self-Study Report) in a separate unbound folder.

If the nursing education unit is having a multiple program visit, a complete set (6) of the items listed above should be sent for each program being reviewed. 

All copies for the NLNAC are to be sent to:

National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
61 Broadway, 33rd Floor
New York, NY 10006 

The materials must be received in the NLNAC office in New York no less than six weeks prior to the scheduled date of the site visit. The Self-Study Reports and catalogs become the property of the NLNAC.

One (1) paper copy of the Self-Study Report;

One (1) electronic (CD/USB flash drive) copy of the Self-Study Report; and

One (1) copy (paper or CD/USB flash drive) of the current catalog.

The materials should be shipped/mailed to each member of the site visit team; items must be received by the team members no less than six weeks prior to the scheduled date of the site visit.

General Information:
Program type(s) being reviewed, purpose(s) and dates of the visit; name and address of the governing organization; name, credentials, and title of the chief executive officer of the governing organization; name of the governing organization's accrediting body and accreditation status (date of last review and action); name and address of the nursing education unit; name, credentials, and title of the nurse administrator of the nursing education unit; telephone, fax number, and email address of the nurse administrator; name of the State Board of Nursing and approval status (date of last review and action); the NLNAC Accreditation Standards and Criteria used to prepare the Self-Study Report.
     

Introduction:
Overview of the nursing program in context by describing how it fits within the nursing education unit (if more than one program is offered) and how the nursing education unit fits within the governing organization and community; student population (number of full-time and part-time students by program type); and faculty cohort (number of full-time and part-time by program type).
      

History of the Nursing Education Unit:
Year nursing program(s) was/were established; length of program(s) in credits and time; history of the nursing education unit; NLNAC accreditation history (include date of initial accreditation); clarification of differentiated education where more than one type of nursing program is offered; number of campuses or locations offering the nursing program(s) and distance education offerings (if applicable); other nursing accreditation (e.g. Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthetists, the American College of Nurse-Midwives Division of Accreditation).
     

Summary of Standards and Criteria:
Overview reflecting the major findings that demonstrate program compliance with each Standard.
     

Analysis and Summary of Strengths and Areas Needing Development:
Conclusions with a concise listing of significant strengths, areas needing development, and future plans.

Selected by the nursing education unit

Single program = 200 pages

Multiple program = 300 pages

(Inclusive of all appendices other than the Evaluation Plan)

At least 1 inch on all sides (method of binding may require more)

The pages of the report must number consecutively starting with the Executive Summary through the last page of the Appendix.

Front-to-Back or

One sided

One file for the whole report or

One file for the body of the report with a separate file for the Appendix

Mission statement of the governing organization

Mission/Philosophy of the nursing education unit

Outcomes of the nursing education unit

Governing organization chart

Nursing unit organization chart

Listings of participation of faculty and students in governance (Committees/Task Forces/Workgroups of the governing organization and nursing education unit)

Evidence of the participation of Communities of Interest

Partnership agreements (description of partnerships; contracts; grants, etc.)

Credentials (academic and experiential) of the nurse administrator (CV/Resume; Transcripts; Position description)

Faculty Handbook

Policies and procedures for the governing organization and nursing education unit (Manuals, Website links, etc.)

Accrediting agency report for the governing organization and decision verification; state board of nursing documents

Compliant/Grievance policies and records for the nursing education unit

Distance education information (type of distance education offerings, approvals, etc.)

Does the nursing education unit's mission/philosophy demonstrate congruence with that of the governing organization?

Do the organizational structures of the governing organization and nursing education unit provide for participation by faculty and students in governance processes? Is there evidence of participation by faculty and students?

Do the communities of interest participate in the program processes? If so, how?

What partnerships does the nursing program participate in? How do they benefit the program? The students?

Does the nurse administrator have responsibility and authority for the nursing unit? How is this demonstrated? Is the nurse administrator qualified for the position? Does the nurse administrator have adequate time to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the role?

How does the budget process work? How is equity between educational units demonstrated?

Are the nursing faculty governed as other faculty? If there are differences, can they be justified by the purposes of the nursing education unit?

How are complaints/grievances handled? Do records show evidence of resolution?

How does distance education fit within the mission and purposes of the program? Of the governing organization? How is distance education utilized?

Faculty Table including credentials and responsibilities in the nursing education unit

Faculty, lab personnel, and staff academic and experiential credentials (CVs, transcripts, etc.)

Evidence of maintenance of faculty expertise

Evidence of compliance with the requirements of the state and governing organization for all faculty and staff

Position/Job Descriptions for faculty, lab personnel, and staff

Documentation of faculty-to-student ratios in class, labs, and clinicals

Faculty workload documentation including teaching, advising, committee work, and other responsibilities

Evidence of scholarly activities as defined by the nursing education unit for faculty including distance education development (if utilized)

Documentation of evaluation for faculty and staff

Policies for evaluation processes

Evidence of orientation and mentoring processes for faculty and staff

Are the faculty, staff, and lab personnel qualified for their positions?

Are there enough faculty and staff to accomplish the program goals and outcomes?

Is there ongoing review of faculty, lab personnel, and staff?

Do the faculty participate in scholarly activities? Do they maintain expertise?

What evidences are there that faculty receive orientation and mentoring?

Is there adequate support and development for faculty utilizing distance education?

Student policies (identified by source)

Student Handbook (paper or online link)

Listing of available student services (by location if more than one teaching site is utilized)

Identification of student services available to students enrolled in courses offered by distance education

Identification of student services personnel by areas of responsibility

Evidence of compliance with Title IV regulations, FERPA, ADA, and other federal and state guidelines and regulations

Evidence of currency, accuracy, clarity, completeness, and consistency of all program information (paper or electronic) including information related to distance education

Evidence of communications to students (paper or electronic) related to policy changes

Evidence of orientation to and support provided for technology utilized by students in classrooms, labs, and clinical areas

Are policies for the nursing students accessible? Are policies congruent? If not congruent, are differences justified?

Are support services appropriate, available, and accessible to all students?

If the program is offered by more than one modality or in more than one location, are the support services offered comparable and accessible?

Is the program and governing organization in compliance with policies related to records?

Is the governing organization in compliance with Title IV regulations?

Are student rights protected?

Is information intended to inform the public current, accurate, clear, and consistent?

Are program or policy changes clearly and consistently communicated to students?

Are students oriented to campus and clinical technologies? Is technical support provided to students?
 

Curricular plan/design with courses and credits/hours specified

Identification of the professional standards, guidelines, or competencies utilized to guide the curriculum

Evidence of faculty review of the curriculum

Student learning outcomes

Program outcomes

Evidence that diverse concepts, best practices, and national patient safety goals are incorporated into the curriculum

Course materials including syllabi, evaluation methodologies, and learning activities

Samples of student written work (papers, projects, assignments)

Evidence that the curriculum reflects educational theory, interdisciplinary collaboration, and research

Evidence that program length facilitates achievement of learning outcomes and is consistent with state and national standards

Class and clinical schedules

Clinical agency contracts and/or agreements

Evaluation tools/methodologies for classes, clinicals, and labs

Documentation of congruence of delivery method(s) and instructional processes

Are professional standards, guidelines, or competencies used to guide the curricular design?

Are the student learning outcomes used to organize the curriculum, guide delivery of courses, and direct learning activities?

Are evaluation methodologies varied and appropriate to measure attainment of learning outcomes?

Is there regular review of the curriculum for rigor and currency?

Does the curriculum address best practices?

Does the curriculum include diverse concepts and experiences?

Does the program of study provide time for student to learn and achieve the outcomes?

Are the clinical learning experiences appropriate for students to achieve the identified outcomes/competencies? Reflective of best practices and safety standards?

Are the contracts for clinical experiences current and designed to protect students?

Are the delivery methodologies congruent with the curricular design?

Program budget including a comparison to similar units or departments

Evidence of sufficiency of resources for faculty, students, and staff

Identification and description of physical resources

Listing of learning resources with evidence of comprehensiveness, currency, and accessibility including those available in library, learning centers, skills labs, simulation labs, and other resource areas

Evidence of resource support of faculty and students utilizing distance education

Evidence of fiscal, physical, and learning resource comparability if the program is offered at multiple locations

Are there adequate resources to support the faculty and students in achieving identified student learning and program outcomes including those engaged in alternate methods of program delivery?

Are resources comparable across all locations where the program is offered?

Systematic Plan for Evaluation

Data for the program outcomes (minimum of 3 years)

Data for student learning outcomes (minimum of 3 years)

Evidence that data are consistently utilized for decision making by the faculty for program improvements

Evidence that findings are shared with communities of interest

Evidence that graduates are achieving identified competencies/outcomes

Documentation of comparability of outcomes across locations and methods of delivery

Is there an effective working evaluation plan in place that has been developed and implemented by the faculty?

Is there evidence of ongoing systematic assessment of the program in relation to the NLNAC Standards?

Are the students achieving the learning outcomes? If not, what strategies have been implemented?

Have graduates achieved the identified competencies?

Are program outcomes being achieved? If not, what strategies have been implemented?

Are there clearly documented evidences that findings have been used by faculty to make decisions leading to program improvements?

Are the data addressing student learning outcomes aggregated by method of program delivery? By teaching location? Are the outcomes comparable?