Stephanie Shea (NPDN Accreditation Program Manager, University of Maine – NEPDN)
The Communicator: Volume 5, Issue 8, August 2024
The moment we have all been waiting for: the Accreditation Committee is ecstatic to announce the official launch of the Core Accreditation Program! What does this mean? You can now apply for Core Accreditation via the LearnUpon Accreditation Pathway.
A few exciting developments accompany the launch of the program. First, the Accreditation Committee has released a new version of the Core Standard (version 2.0), which incorporates feedback received from NPDN members during the 2023 accreditation help sessions with the intentions of making the requirements of the program more user-friendly. Subsequently, a new version of the Quality Manual Template (version 2.0) has also been released, which has some minor changes to mirror the new version of the Core Standard. Lastly, an Audit Checklist (version 1.0) has been developed which will be used by the Accreditation Committee to review each lab’s quality management system. Think of this as the evaluation rubric that teachers provide to highlight the exact criteria used during grading. You aren’t necessarily being graded, but your quality management system will be under review, so this document can be used as guide as you develop your own quality system documents in preparation for applying for accreditation.
Have you already started on your documents and now you’re worried these new versions will negate work you’ve already put in? Not to worry! The changes are minor and should not erase any work you’ve done. Plus, there is a guide provided on the accreditation webpage to highlight the few key changes in the new version that you may want to be aware of.
Looking for more information? Perfect. We encourage you to visit the NPDN Member Accreditation Webpage (requires login), which has been updated to more easily navigate documents and resources including the three documents mentioned above, as well as the following:
- The Core Accreditation policies,
- An overview of the accreditation process from document development to the application process
- A pdf guide to getting started in your lab
- A repository of example documents
- Information on who must/can apply for Core Accreditation and how to do so
- Some frequently asked questions
Still looking for more information? Stop by the Accreditation poster at the 2024 NPDN national meeting in Portland, ME or reach out to Accreditation Committee leadership anytime at accreditation@npdn.org.
