Westminster Nursing Program Granted Accreditation
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. — The nursing program at Westminster College has been granted the full five-year accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
The accreditation status follows a November 2020 virtual site accreditation visit with an evaluation team composed of three commission-appointed nursing education leaders.
“Our nursing faculty and staff have worked diligently toward CCNE accreditation since the inception of our nursing program in 2017,” said Westminster College President Kathy Brittain Richardson. “We are very proud of our nursing program and this accreditation validates all of their hard work and dedication, as well as the quality and rigor of our nursing curriculum.”
Through a collaborative agreement between Westminster and the UPMC Jameson School of Nursing, first-year students take pre-nursing and liberal arts courses at Westminster, then matriculate to UPMC. For years two and three, students follow the UPMC program while earning credits at Westminster toward a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Upon completing the UPMC Jameson program, students take their registered nurse licensure exam. During the fourth year, students complete higher level nursing courses at Westminster to earn the BSN.
“I am so proud that our RN-BSN Program is now fully accredited by CCNE,” said Tricia Ryan, assistant professor and chair of the nursing department. “I greatly appreciate all the hard work from all the faculty, staff, administration, nursing students, our UPMC Jameson School of Nursing partner and the Nursing Advisory Board. Without all of these dedicated people, the vision of a successful nursing program at Westminster five years ago may not have come to fruition.
“It is rare that a program can celebrate full initial accreditation without any compliance concerns. That is a true testament to the tremendous support for the RN-BSN Program. The program’s future is very bright!”
During spring commencement in May, 10 students from the first cohort of the nursing program earned their BSN degrees. Another 27 rising seniors from the second cohort graduated from the UPMC Jameson program and will return to Westminster in the fall to complete the BSN degree.
For more on program, visit Westminster.edu/nursing or contact Ryan at [email protected] or 724 946 7470.
Pictured: Nursing students from Westminster College. (Image: Westminster College)
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
