AdventHealth University’s (AHU) Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program has been granted accreditation from the Board of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for five years, dated retroactively to September 18, 2019. At its meeting, the Board determined that the program met all four accreditation standards without any citations or recommendations.
Officially recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accreditation agency, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is an autonomous accrediting agency, contributing to the improvement of the public's health. CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing.
Dr. Lynelle Callender, Vice-Chair for Online Nursing stated, “Attaining accreditation for the MSN program has been an essential goal since the program’s inception. It enables our graduates to take advanced nursing certification exams. CCNE recognition aligns with our commitment to AdventHealth Medical Group, Centra Care, and Graduate Medical Education leadership that ensures AHU provides their facilities with well-trained, highly qualified clinical team members and healthcare providers.”
AHU currently has three Masters of Nursing degree tracks: Administration and Leadership, Education, and Family Nurse Practice (FNP), all of which are now accredited by CCNE. The program has enjoyed strong support from AdventHealth Medical Group (AHMG), and key members played a role in the accreditation success.
“It’s an exciting time for AdventHealth University’s MSN students, especially those enrolled in the FNP track. Earning this national accreditation acknowledges the academic rigor, clinical excellence, and educational quality provided by the dedicated nursing faculty and staff. AdventHealth Medical Group stands to benefit from these clinicians-in-training by providing appropriate clinical sites, as well as committed preceptors to further educate nurse practitioner (NP) students to provide primary care medicine that helps to close the healthcare gap in this critical specialty,” said Ivonne Johnson DNP, APRN, current Chief APP Officer at AHMG.
Students in the MSN program are registered nurses with established clinical proficiency and expertise. As part of the Family Nurse Practitioner track, students have required field work and clinical rotation components to their coursework. The AHMG leadership opened its practices and facilities for the AHU MSN-FNP students to gain this valuable experience.
“I am very proud of our partnership with AHU. Together we help mold future providers, preparing them for a career in excellence and wholistic approach towards patient health. This momentous occasion certifies that when an AHU FNP student arrives Day 1 for clinicals, they come prepared from a nationally accredited MSN program,” said Frances Bailey, project specialist in human resources for AHMG.
In addition to AHU’s master’s degree nursing program, the university’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and the RN-BSN programs are also fully accredited by CCNE. Both the MSN and RN-BSN programs are offered online.
