? about DNP accreditation

Specialties Doctoral

Published

Just curious about how accreditation or lack thereof will affect DNP graduates. When I looked at the AACN website, there are only 18 accredited programs at this time.

With the 2015 DNP push, I was just wondering if choosing a program now that does not eventually achieve accreditation will affect the graduate negatively down the road in their career.

Thanks for any insight.

Just curious about how accreditation or lack thereof will affect DNP graduates. When I looked at the AACN website, there are only 18 accredited programs at this time.

With the 2015 DNP push, I was just wondering if choosing a program now that does not eventually achieve accreditation will affect the graduate negatively down the road in their career.

Thanks for any insight.

The AANC does not accredit DNP programs. The list at the AACN site is simply a list of programs. The requirement for NP certification is graduation from a CCNE or NLNAC accredited Doctoral, Masters or Post-Masters NP program. The accredidation is not specific to the DNP but instead deals with a "clinical doctorate".

There is no push from either CCNE or NLNAC to require DNP programs. Neither orginazation regulated content. Instead they regulate process. The NLNAC for example continued to accredit non-MSN NP programs for several years after an MSN was required to bill for Medicare and for licensure in most states.

David Carpenter, PA-C

It will take a bit of time for all the programs to be accredited. CCNE did their first site visits in Fall 2008 (4 of them). They visited 16 more programs in Spring 2009 (and accredited 14 of them).

CCNE plans to conduct up to 20 more site visits per semester (so up to 40 per year). There is a backlog of schools to be accredited.

Also, as one of the schools that had a successful site visits, there are standards in the CCNE visit to account for DNP program outcomes. Until a school has had DNP graduates, it is hard to address the outcomes of the prorgam.

Specializes in ED, Tele, Psych.

short answer is that attending a program that is not accredited by a recognized agency is a risk that you must weigh. most schools have several accrediting bodies - one for the college or university itself, another for the college within the university, and another for the program within the college. if the program isn't accredited but is applying for it or is 'provisional' and the college/university are accredited then it's probably a low risk gamble. on the other hand if the college/university isn't regionally accredited then i would avoid them as there is a real risk that the education you receive will not be recognized by other institutions of higher education or industry.

Where is the list of dnp programs that are accredited.? I have seen the list for all available programs. But only a few area accreditied right. Please post links if you have info regarding this.

Nurselele:

The CCNE accreditation website allow you to search by state, or by program. Select 'all states' and 'DNP' and you will see the list.

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/CCNE/reports/accprog.asp

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