El Camino College Receives Prestigious ACEN Accreditation for Nursing Program
El Camino College received formal notification from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), earlier this month, that at its April 2024 meeting, the Board of Commissioners granted “Initial Accreditation” to El Camino’s existing associate nursing program. This accreditation came about after a successful evaluative on-campus visit by ACEN representatives to El Camino College in November 2023.
As one of the largest specialized accrediting agencies throughout the United States, the ACEN is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) for being the leading authority in nursing education accreditation, with a goal of being a supportive partner in strengthening the quality of nursing education and transition-to-practice programs.
The ACEN distinction is in addition to El Camino College’s accreditation by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), a division of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. An ACEN accreditation demonstrates to the academic community that a college’s nursing program has “clear and appropriate educational objectives and is working to achieve these objectives,” according to the ACEN website. By meeting the ACEN Standards and Criteria for accreditation, El Camino College’s ACEN-accredited nursing program, has consistently demonstrated that our students are prepared to enter the workforce, deliver excellent patient care, and contribute to positive health outcomes in the communities in which they serve.
El Camino College largely credits earning the ACEN accreditation to its nursing faculty and staff whose hard work and dedication consistently produced licensure exam pass rates in excess of 90%, among numerous other indicators of student success. Many graduates find employment throughout the South Bay, immediately putting their nursing and health care skills to work within local and surrounding communities. The achievement of this accreditation is an important step closer towards the College’s goal to offer a bachelor’s degree in nursing—a goal that could be reached in a few years.
“This distinction demonstrates the caliber of professionals who make up our faculty and staff dedicated to supporting our students’ career pursuits in nursing and health care services,” expresses Carlos Lopez, El Camino College’s Vice President of Academic Affairs. “This accreditation is indicative of El Camino College’s ongoing mission to offer career advancement opportunities and academic resources here in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County.”
Pending passage of California State Senate Bill 895 (Roth; D-Riverside), this ACEN accreditation makes El Camino College eligible for consideration to participate in California’s community colleges Bachelor of Science Nursing (BSN) pilot program that will further serve the regional need for a nationally accredited health care workforce.
For more information about the ACEN accreditation, El Camino College’s Nursing Degree Programs, or Senate Bill 895, please contact Kerri Webb, Public Information Officer, at kwebb@elcamino.edu or call 310-660-3406.