Kirtland Community College's nursing program earns national accreditation ahead of 2025 deadline
Students enrolled in the nursing program at Kirtland Community College will gain access to more clinical sites with the new accreditation granted by National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation.
Administrators announced that Kirtland Community College received accreditation through the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA) this summer. The accreditation became a requirement in 2018, instituted by the Michigan Board of Nursing, to be completed by 2025. Earning the accreditation will allow for more opportunities for clinical experience for KCC nursing programs students.
The national accreditation makes the nursing program graduates from Kirtland Community College eligible for jobs with employers like Veterans Affairs who require such accreditations for employment. KCC VP of Instructional Services Amy Fugate emphasized the significance of the accreditation in a recent release, "National accreditation signals a commitment to quality nursing education, and puts Kirtland on the cutting edge of curriculum and industry, ensuring we're placing highly trained professionals into the workplace. Our nursing graduates now have additional credibility as they apply for positions with local, state and national healthcare providers."
The NLN CNEA evaluates institutions with nursing degree programs based on a number of factors including curriculum and mission, with attention paid to program results like contribution to the workforce and commitment to continuous improvement. KCC Director of Nursing Bethany Hubbard sees the accreditation from the NLN CNEA as a sign that KCC is providing a high-quality nursing education to students. She explained, "National accreditation demonstrates the strength of our nursing degree and is a prime example of the valuable healthcare programming we provide to our students as they train to become frontline workers in our community."