Mountain View College has received accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) for its nursing associate degree program, and the faculty, staff and students celebrated the accomplishment with a campus-wide event on Nov. 11. The accreditation, which is good through Spring 2024, recognizes Mountain View’s nursing program for its achievement of quality and excellence in nursing education.
Mountain View’s nursing program began in 2008 and has grown to two cohorts of 50 students each that begin both fall and spring semesters. The 60-hour, five semester program allows students to earn an associate of applied science degree. Texas – and the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex in particular – is facing a glaring shortage in nurses. A study by the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis said that, by 2030, Texas will have the second-largest shortage of nurses in the country thanks to a large expected number of retirees.
“Accreditation is the final stamp of approval for Mountain View College’s nursing program,” said Cherlyn Ruth-Schultz, executive dean of Allied Health and Nursing. “This designation contributes to both the college’s reputation and high status as an associate degree nursing education provider. This can translate into opportunities for the program, such as increases in enrollment and securing clinical rotations in area hospitals where our students are able to get hands-on experience in a variety of nursing specialties.”
For Mountain View nursing students, accreditation benefits include enabling students’ eligibility for funding support from federal and state agencies, and foundations, as well as the ability to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and transfer to other accredited programs as they continue their education. Mountain View students’ most recent pass rate (2018) for the NCLEX is 100 percent, with all 28 graduates finding gainful employment within three months of graduation.
“This is a significant accomplishment that will allow us to continue providing our community with access to quality nursing education,” said Dr. Beatriz Joseph, president of Mountain View College. “Our nursing faculty and staff have worked tirelessly to ensure our program provides rigorous instruction and clinicals that prepare our graduates to be successful in their chosen area of specialization.”
ACEN is the entity responsible for the specialized accreditation of nursing education programs. They support the interests of nursing education, nursing practice and the public by the function of accreditation.
