Doctor of Nursing Practice program earns accreditation

Goshen College and Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, Virginia) announce the following: The Doctor of Nursing Practice program, a consortium of  Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) and Goshen College, is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

CCNE is one of two nationally recognized organizations that ensures the quality and integrity of nursing education programs to the highest professional standards.

The program met all four accreditation standards and was awarded the standard 5-year accreditation for newly accredited programs, according to CCNE. The standards relate to mission and governance, institutional commitment and resources, curriculum and teaching/learning practices, and assessment and achievement of program outcomes.

“Accreditation indicates that EMU & GC have met CCNE’s high standards of academic quality and integrity,” said Dr. Ruth Stoltzfus, program co-director and director of the graduate nursing program at Goshen College. “Our DNP program reflects the shared values of both schools; stewardship of scarce healthcare resources, intercultural competency and servant leadership.”

All of Goshen and EMU’s current undergraduate and graduate nursing programs are accredited with CCNE.

“We’re pleased at this affirmation and will continue to work diligently to maintain and continuously improve our high academic standards,” said Dr. Melody Cash, program co-director and nursing department chair at EMU. “We are preparing the next generation of nurse leaders to serve and lead at the highest level of nursing practice.”

The joint DNP program began in January 2018. The first cohort will graduate in May 2020. Faculty from both schools teach the courses and students choose which college or university they want to confer their degree.

Students complete 10 online courses and at least one residency during the 24-month program. Eligible applicants must hold a Master of Science in Nursing degree from a CCNE- or NLNAC-accredited school with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher.

To help meet the nation’s demand for nurses with advanced degrees, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) recommends that the DNP become the terminal degree for nurse practitioners, and the Institute of Medicine recommends doubling the number of doctoral-prepared nurses by 2020.