TIFTON—The bachelor’s and associate degree nursing programs in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College have received “continued accreditation” from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), the nationally recognized accrediting authority for nursing education programs.
“The continued accreditation of our Associate degree in nursing and the Bachelor of Science degree in nursing reaffirms the confidence that ACEN has in our programs,” Dr. Jerry Baker, ABAC Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, said. “This recognition by ACEN is a reflection on the team effort of the faculty to deliver quality and rigorous educational opportunities to prepare graduates to serve our communities after graduation.”
ACEN regularly reviews accredited programs to ensure the nursing programs continue to meet professional standards and are appropriately preparing students for the field of nursing. This process required a self-study report to be compiled and submitted followed by a rigorous site visit.
“Accreditation is a very time-consuming and arduous task that requires support and input from the entire institution to not only compose a self-study report, but also facilitate a successful site visit,” said Dr. Jeffrey Ross, Dean and Professor of Nursing for the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. “The faculty, staff, students, and I are extremely appreciative to our campus colleagues as well as our community health partners for all their help in this process.
“I am especially grateful to the nursing faculty and staff for their hard work not only with the accreditation process, but every day in general. Nursing and Health Sciences has some of the best faculty and staff members in nursing education. I am very honored to work alongside them every day.”
The recommendation to award continued accreditation status to the ABAC bachelor’s and associate degree nursing programs came during the recent ACEN meeting. The term of the recommendation is for eight years, the maximum allowed. The next evaluation visit is planned for Fall 2028.
“National accreditation from ACEN helps ensure the delivery of quality nursing education,” Ross said. “This includes incorporating professional standards, the use of appropriate teaching methodologies, and correct evaluation methods producing a graduate nurse who will meet and exceed the expectations and needs of potential employers, community health care needs, and patient populations through the display of excellent nursing knowledge and skills.”
ABAC offers both Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) programs for future nurses in Tifton and Bainbridge. Once students graduate the ASN program and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), they qualify as Registered Nurses. They can then choose to enter the workforce or continue their education and receive their bachelor’s degree. Since most courses leading to the RN-BSN are available online, many nurses juggle the responsibilities of a career and the classwork.
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