Heartland Associate Nursing program accreditation extended

 

[May 06, 2020] 

The Heartland Community College nursing program has been granted continuing accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

The ACEN Board of Commissioners extended accreditation to the Heartland Community College Associate Nursing program (AAS) and scheduled the next evaluation visit for Fall 2027.

The Board cited the Heartland program’s “commitment to quality nursing education” in announcing their decision.

“At a time when our community is relying on the vital labor of nurses to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, it is with special pride that our program has met the continued approval of the ACEN,” said Dean of Health Sciences and Director of Nursing Jennifer O’Connor. “Our faculty and staff did an excellent job working with the ACEN to demonstrate our high quality of instruction and commitment to helping current and future patients regain their health and improve their quality of life.”

The AAS degree in Nursing prepares students to take the NCLEX-RN Examination for licensure to become a Registered Nurse (RN). RNs provide direct care to patients, families, and communities.

They also use critical thinking skills to make clinical judgments in practice, provide emotional support to clients in distress, and teach patients and communities principles of wellness. Heartland graduates work throughout the community in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and outpatient settings.

Representatives from the ACEN conducted an on-site review in October of 2019. The Commission provided their formal notification of accreditation on April 20, 2020.

[Steve Fast
Director, Public Information
Heartland Community College
Photo credit: Audrey Stickrod]