Agencies
Factors The Accreditation Commission
The Texas State Board of
Nursing
The mission of the BON is to
protect and promote the welfare of
the people of Texas by ensuring
that each person licensed as a nurse
is competent to practice safely. For
this purpose, the Texas Board of
Roles of the regulatory agency Nursing (BON) is the State agency
empowered by the Texas
Legislature with regulating the
practice of vocational,
professional, and advanced practice
nursing
The responsibility of the Board to
establish standards for nursing
education in the State of Texas. The
Overseeing and regulating Board shall approve such nursing
services education programs that meet its
requirements, and shall deny or
withdraw approval from schools of
nursing and educational programs
The Commission on Collegiate
for Education in Nursing
Nursing Education (CCNE)
(ACEN)
The Accreditation Commission for
Education in Nursing (ACEN)
supports the interests of nursing
education, nursing practice, and the
public by the functions of
accreditation. Accreditation is a
voluntary, peer-review, self-
regulatory process by which non-
governmental associations
recognize educational institutions The CCNE is the autonomous
or programs that have been found accrediting arm of the American
to meet or exceed standards and Association of Colleges of Nursing
criteria for educational quality. (AACN).
Accreditation also assists in the The Commission serves the public
further improvement of the interest by assessing and
institutions or programs as related identifying programs that engage in
to resources invested, processes effective educational practices.
followed, and results achieved.
ACEN is the gatekeeper to Title
IV-HEA programs, which lets
practical nursing and hospital
diploma programs participate in
DOE or other federal agency
programs
ACEN provides specialized
accreditation for all types of
The Commission evaluates and sets
nursing programs, including
standards for baccalaureate,
clinical doctorate, masters/post-
graduate, doctoral, and residency
masters certificate, baccalaureate,
programs in nursing schools
associate, diploma, and practical
nationwide.
nursing programs. The ACEN
accredits nursing programs in

Mandatory or voluntary
accreditations
Explain why a nursing program
would seek accreditation by one
of these agencies
WEBSITE
which fail to meet the prescribed secondary, postsecondary, and
course of study or other standards. hospital-based governing
The intent of the approval process organizations that offer certificates,
is to improve the educational diplomas, or degrees.
programs and stimulate continuous
self-study, evaluation, innovation,
and appropriate changes within the
programs. The Board provides
guidance to nursing programs so
that a high-quality education for the
preparation of practitioners is
ensured.
Mandatory Voluntary Voluntary
ACEN helps students by fostering
excellence through ensuring that a
program is meeting standards of Accreditation by CCNE serves as a
educational quality specific to statement of good educational
The Texas BON approves Texas nursing education through the peer practice in the field of nursing.
School of nursing program leading review process. Accreditation evaluations are
to first time licensure as RN, or useful to the program in that they
LPN. The BON also has an ACEN Provides recognition that serve as a basis for continuing or
optional approval process for the program or school has been formative self-assessment as well
programs preparing APRNs. evaluated and periodically re- as for periodic or summative self-
Graduates of nursing programs evaluated by a qualified, assessment through which the
from schools operating in Texas independent group of peers and the program, personnel, procedures,
without board approval would not extent to which the program meets and services are improved. The
be eligible to take the NCLEX appropriate educational purposes results of such assessments form
Licensure examination. and standards of educational the basis for planning and the
quality specific to nursing setting of priorities at the
education. institution.
www.bon.texas.gov www.acenursing.org www.aacn.nche.edu