2015-2016 Annual Report Instructions The 2016 Annual Report information submitted is for the July 1, 2016 June 30, 2016 Academic Year. This report is due no later than November 22, 2016 by 11:59 PM Eastern.
Welcome Welcome to the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN) 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual. Due to updates in definitions and format of the annual report form, the ACEN wants to ensure that the program has all of the necessary information required for the program to complete and submit the report within a timely manner. As stated in the ACEN Accreditation Manual Policy #24 - Assessment of the Adequacy of Standards and Criteria, ACEN Process, and Practices, the ACEN maintains an ongoing systematic review designed to ensure that: 1. the Standards and Criteria are valid and reliable indicators of the education quality provided by accredited programs and are relevant to the educational needs of students; 2. ACEN processes are reliable and assess knowledge and consistency of observations, applications, decisions, and perceptions; and 3. there are broad communications and consultations across constituencies. The findings from the ongoing review are used for development, maintenance, and revision of the ACEN Accreditation Standards and Criteria, processes, and practices. Evidence to support ongoing systematic review appears in Commission minutes, annual reports, the ACEN Report to Constituents, on the ACEN website, and at the ACEN Forums. Please use this manual as a comprehensive guide to assist in completing the annual report. If questions arise regarding the completion of the report, please do not hesitate to contact Ebony King at annualreport@acenursing.org or via telephone at (404) 975-5000. For questions or issues related to technical support and access, please contact Vishal Patel at annualreport@acenursing.org or (404) 975-5000. Thank you for your commitment to quality nursing education. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 2
Table of Contents Welcome... 2 Table of Contents... 3 ACEN Annual Report Requirement... 5 Annual Report... 5 General Instructions... 6 Organization... 6 Saving the Report... 6 Section 1: Demographic Information... 8 Chief Executive Officer... 8 Institutional Accreditation Agency... 9 Agency... 9 Accreditation Status/Change in Status... 10 Nurse Education Unit... 10 Nurse Administrator... 11 Student Enrollment... 11 Additional Locations and Branch Campuses... 11 Section 2: Substantive Change... 13 Section 3: Program Outcomes... 14 Question 1: Certification Examination Pass Rates... 14 Question 2: Annual Licensure Examination Pass Rates... 15 Question 3: Program Completion Rate... 15 Question 4: Job Placement Rate... 16 Question 5: Total Nursing Graduates... 16 Section 4: Operations... 17 Question 1: Total Nursing Students... 17 Question 2: Significant Change in Program Enrollment... 17 Question 3: Total Academic Credits... 17 Question 5/6: Total Full-time Faculty/Faculty Qualifications... 18 Question 7/8: Total Part-time Faculty/Faculty Qualifications... 18 ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 3
Question 9: Preceptors... 19 Question 10/11: Laboratory Personnel... 19 Question 12: Complaints/Grievances... 20 Question 13: Alternate Methods of Delivery... 20 Question 14: Distance Education... 21 Question 15: Simulation... 22 Question 16 Standardized Testing... 23 Question 17: Partnerships... 23 Question 19: Fiscal Resources... 23 Annual Report Submission... 24 ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 4
ACEN Annual Report Requirement The following information references the ACEN annual report requirements as outlined in the ACEN Accreditation Manual Policy #24 - Assessment of the Adequacy of Standards and Criteria, ACEN Process, and Practices: Annual Report All accredited programs are required to submit an Annual Report. The Annual Report will request, at a minimum, the following information: 1. Enrollment figures; 2. Graduation figures; 3. Faculty numbers and credentials; 4. Substantive change information; 5. Complaints against the program; 6. Job placement rates; and 7. Licensure and certification examination pass rates The ACEN staff will review the information to ensure that programs continue to comply with policies and reporting requirements. Significant changes will be referred to the ACEN Board of Commissioners, and action may be taken as appropriate. Failure to submit the Annual Report could result in the ACEN Board of Commissioners taking appropriate action, including altering the program s accreditation status. Data is compiled by the individual programs for monitoring purposes and reported in aggregate form trended over time. Programs with Title IV-HEA responsibilities must also submit information regarding compliance with their Title IV responsibilities and the result of financial or compliance audits. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 5
General Instructions Organization The ACEN electronic annual report format consists of four (4) primary sections. Section 1: Demographics Section 2: Substantive Change Section 3: Program Outcomes Section 4: Operations Upon receipt of the Annual Report, we recommend that the individual responsible for the report print the entire document so that you have an opportunity to collect the required data prior to completion. The report questions are compulsory, meaning each question requires an answer prior to the report being considered final. In the event that you have to complete the report at separate times, it is recommended that you use the link provided to create a username and password. Saving the Report 1) At the top of the report, select the option to Save my progress and resume later
2) Once selected, a window will appear allowing an opportunity to enter an email address and password. The email address that you enter should be the one to which the Annual Report was sent. Enter a password and re-enter it to confirm. 3) Once the confirmation page appears, you will have the option to resume the current report, or start the report. Each option will redirect to you to the Annual Report form. NOTE: Remember to save periodically throughout completion of the report. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 7
Section 1: Demographic Information Governing Organization List the name and demographic information for the governing organization. The governing organization is the institution with overall responsibility and authority for a nursing education unit and a nursing program (e.g., university, college, hospital/medical center, career center). Include the organization website. Chief Executive Officer List the name of the Chief Executive Officer for the governing organization, including title and credentials. The Chief Executive Officer is the official who has the primary responsibility of carrying out the mission and purpose of the governing organization. In some circumstances, there may be an overall governing organization CEO and a campus CEO (e.g., a chancellor of the overall institution and a president of a campus). ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 8
Institutional Accreditation Agency Agency The institutional accreditation agency is the agency that provides primary accreditation oversight of the governing organization and is recognized by the ACEN (i.e. SACS, ACICS, HLC, etc.) A dropdown menu of options that includes all ACEN-recognized agencies is provided. If the institutional accreditor is not listed, please contact the ACEN office at annualreport@acenursing.org. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 9
Accreditation Status/Change in Status Enter the accreditation status of the governing organization. This status is as assigned by the institutional accrediting agency and may not align with the accreditation status terminology used by the ACEN (e.g. full approval, conditional accreditation, etc.). If there has been a change in accreditation status, select yes or no. If yes, enter an explanation as to why (e.g. Yes: Removal of Warning ), Nurse Education Unit Enter the name and demographic information for the nursing education unit. The address in this area should reflect the physical address of the primary nursing education unit office. Include the website for the nursing education unit or program here. (You will be provided another opportunity to list branch campuses or additional locations in the section below.) ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 10
Nurse Administrator Enter the name and demographic information for the nurse administrator. The address listed should reflect the primary physical address where the nurse administrator s office is located. The email address provided should be the email address used to receive all ACEN-related correspondence. Student Enrollment Enter the total number of students enrolled at the governing organization as of February 15, 2016. This number should reflect both full- and part-time students in all program types and all shifts. If there has been a change in enrollment at the governing organization during the academic year 2015 2016, please enter this information where designated. A selection is required. Additional Locations and Branch Campuses If the nursing education unit has two (2) or more additional instructional locations or branch campuses, select yes. Once yes is selected, you will have the option to enter all additional locations and branch campuses. DO NOT include the primary nursing education unit in this section. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 11
Enter the complete mailing address and location name if applicable. Select whether the location is active or not active. If the location is not active, select whether or not the deactivation of the additional instructional site or branch campus has been reported to the ACEN. Note: If the location has been deactivated and NOT reported to the ACEN, please contact Robert Steinbruegge at rsteinbruegge@acenursing.org. Once the first additional location is added, select add another response to continue to add additional locations. Include the implementation date for each location. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 12
Section 2: Substantive Change This section requires a response for each item listed by program type. If a response is applicable to one (1) or more program types, select yes. Once you have selected yes, you will have the option to select the program type. Mark if the change was reported by selecting yes or no. If clarification is needed regarding the program type or a change that was not applicable to all program types, please note this in the comment section provided. Note: If you have had a substantive change prior to the completion of this report as defined by Policy #14 Reporting Substantive Changes in the ACEN Accreditation Manual and are unsure if it has been reported, select no and describe the unreported change in the comment box provided. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 13
Section 3: Program Outcomes The Program Outcomes section requires specific data by program type. The data provided in this section should only reflect the July 1, 2015 June 30, 2016 academic year. Response types will vary based upon the data requested. Some questions may ask for a number, while others ask for percentage. Percentages may include decimals. Question 1: Certification Examination Pass Rates Certification examination pass rates apply to post-graduate certificates. Examples of these certification examinations are listed at the top of the report page. The option for certifications will not apply unless the program offers a graduate-level program. Certification Examination Pass rate calculations are based on the information: TT/TP = Certification Examination Pass Rates TT= Total graduates attempting the certification TP = Total graduates passing the any attempt of the examination ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 14
Question 2: Annual Licensure Examination Pass Rates Enter the most recent annual licensure examination percentage pass rate for all first-time takers. This number should represent the most recent official rate received from the state board of nursing or the NSCBN report. Question 3: Program Completion Rate The Expected Level of Achievement (ELA) requested in this section refers to the level of achievement as defined by the program faculty and administration. The ELA is a measurable index that reflects a desirable outcome. The actual program completion rate includes the percentage of students who graduate within a defined period of time. The definition used by the ACEN for a nursing program completion rate is the number of students who complete the program in no more than 150% of the stated nursing program length, beginning with enrollment in the first nursing course, which can vary based upon the nursing program option. Enter the program ELA for completion as established by the program faculty and enter the actual completion rate in this section. This is presented as a percentage. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 15
Question 4: Job Placement Rate The Expected Level of Achievement (ELA) requested in this section refers to the level of achievement as defined by the program faculty and administration. The ELA is a measurable index that reflects a desirable outcome. The job placement rate is the percentage of graduates employed in a position for which a nursing program prepared them. To calculate the job placement rate for the 2015 2016 academic year, include all students that have graduated between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016. The ACEN is only seeking to collect data for a snapshot in time. Enter the job placement rate for any student that graduated and were employed during the academic year as established by the ACEN. Enter the program ELA for job placement as established by the program faculty and enter the actual job placement rate in this section by program type. This is presented as a percentage rate. Question 5: Total Nursing Graduates Enter the number of full- and part-time nursing graduates by program type that graduated from the program between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016. Keep in mind that the ACEN is seeking to gather data regarding activities that have occurred within a small snapshot of time. If there are graduates that cannot be represented in this report, due to the dates provided for the academic year, these data will be presented in the 2016 2017 annual report. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 16
Section 4: Operations This section focuses on the overall program operations, program curriculum, and resources. The data provided in this section should only reflect the July 1, 2015 June 30, 2016 academic year. Response types will vary based upon the data requested. Some questions may ask for a number, while others ask for percentage. Percentages may include decimals. Question 1: Total Nursing Students Enter the total number of full- and part-time nursing students that are active in the program by head count as of October 15, 2016. This information must be entered by program type. Question 2: Significant Change in Program Enrollment Indicate if there has been a significant change of enrollment greater than, less than, or equal to 25%. An actual percentage is not required. Data must be provided by program type. Question 3: Total Academic Credits Enter the total number of academic credits by program type. If a program uses multiple conversion factors in one (1) program type, use the conversion that is used for the nursing courses only. Total program academic credits must include all lecture, clinical laboratory, and clinical/practical course credits. In order to calculate the total number of academic credits, use credit-to-contact-hour ratios of 1:1 for lecture and 1:3 for clinical/practicum and laboratory hours. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 17
Question 5/6: Total Full-time Faculty/Faculty Qualifications Enter the total number of full-time faculty teaching nursing students by program type. Then, in item #6, enter the total number of full-time faculty by highest degree earned as listed in items a e. The number of faculty entered in item #6 should equal the total number of faculty listed in item #5. *If part-time faculty as defined by the governing organization are shared between programs, it is OKAY for annual report purposes to report them twice. Question 7/8: Total Part-time Faculty/Faculty Qualifications Enter the total number of part-time faculty teaching nursing students by program type. Then, in item #8, enter the total number of part-time faculty by highest degree earned as listed in items a e. The number of faculty entered in item #8 should equal the total number of faculty listed in item #7. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 18
*If part-time faculty as defined by the governing organization are shared between programs, it is OKAY for annual report purposes to report them twice. Question 9: Preceptors The ACEN defines a preceptor as an academically and experientially qualified person who has received formal training to function as a resource and role model for nursing students. When specified, preceptors must meet the stated requirements for the level of nursing education offered. Examples include, but are not limited to, requirements set by a state regulatory agency for nursing or requirements set by the governing organization/nursing education unit. Select an option by program type. Question 10/11: Laboratory Personnel The ACEN defines laboratory personnel as non-faculty persons who work in an on-campus skills/simulation laboratory with specified expertise that supports and/or facilitates student learning experiences. Laboratory personnel with teaching and/or evaluation responsibilities in an on-campus skills/simulation laboratory must hold educational and experiential qualifications as required by the governing organization, the state, and the governing organization's accrediting agency, and must be qualified for assigned responsibilities. In the absence of requirements set by the state and/or the governing organization's accrediting agency, the governing organization must set appropriate educational and experiential qualifications for assigned responsibilities in the on-campus skills/simulation laboratory. Select the type of personnel used in the skills laboratory. One (1) selection is allowed per program type. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 19
Then, select the personnel qualifications of the laboratory personnel by program type. Multiple selections are allowed by program type for qualifications. Question 12: Complaints/Grievances Enter the total number of complaints and grievances received between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016 by program type. Question 13: Alternate Methods of Delivery Select yes or no for alternate methods of delivery by program type. If the program uses alternate methods of delivery, select yes, and a dropdown menu will appear, providing an opportunity to list the type of alternate method of delivery used. Multiple selections are allowed for this question. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 20
Question 14: Distance Education The ACEN defines distance education as an educational process in which the majority of the instruction occurs when a student and instructor are not in the same place. Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous. Distance education may employ audio, video, and/or computer technologies and includes technology that is used to support regular and substantive interactions between the instructor and the students. Select yes or no for distance education by program type. If the program uses alternate methods of delivery, select yes, and a dropdown menu will appear, providing an opportunity to list the type of alternate method of delivery used. The following definitions apply: Hybrid/Blended Nursing Course A nursing course whose content is delivered both in person/in a classroom and via distance education; 1% to 49% of the traditional in-person/in-a-classroom time is replaced with work via distance education, typically delivered asynchronously. The component delivered via distance education includes learning activities that reduce the time traditionally spent in the in-person/ina-classroom component. Hybrid/Blended Nursing Program A nursing program is delivered both in person/in a classroom and via distance education; 1% to 49% of the credit hours or 1% to 49% of the clock hours of the nursing courses are delivered in person/in a classroom, and the remaining credit hours or clock hours are delivered via distance education, typically delivered asynchronously. The component delivered via distance education includes learning activities that reduce the time traditionally spent in the in-person/in-aclassroom component. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 21
Question 15: Simulation Simulation is defined as follows: High-fidelity simulation: Practice learning experiences that incorporate a full-body computerized patient simulator, standardized patient, and virtual reality that mimics the patient s responses to student s actions. Moderate-fidelity simulation: Practice learning experiences that incorporate a computerized patient simulator with basic physiologic functions such as computer-based self-directed learning systems. Low-fidelity simulation: Practice learning experiences that utilize static mannequins or task-trainers for basic nursing skills. Select yes or no for use of simulation by program type. If the program uses simulation, select yes, and a dropdown menu will appear, providing an opportunity to list the type of simulation used. Multiple selections are allowed for this question. This percentage is based on the total program hours. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 22
Question 16 Standardized Testing Select yes or no for use of standardized testing by program type. If the program uses standardized testing, select yes, and a dropdown menu will appear, providing an opportunity to list the type of standardized testing used by program type. Multiple selections are allowed for this question. Question 17: Partnerships The ACEN defines a partnership as an agreement (formal relationship) between a nursing education unit/governing organization and an outside agent/agency to accomplish specific objectives and goals over a period of time. This does not include clinical agreements for student learning experiences required by the nursing program. Select yes or no to identify if the nursing program uses partnerships. If the answer is yes, an opportunity will be provided to enter the names of all partnerships. Question 19: Fiscal Resources Identify any significant change in resources for the nursing program. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 23
Annual Report Submission Upon verification of data and report completion, an opportunity is provided to submit Recommendations to Serve as Commissioners or Site Visitors. This section is not required however, the ACEN appreciates all submissions as we continue to build our Peer Evaluator and Commissioner candidate pool. Upon submission of the report, you will receive a confirmation email from the ACEN which can be retained for you records. ACEN 2016 Annual Report Instructions Manual 24