SUNY Downstate’s College of Nursing Receives Maximum Accreditation
Jun 18, 2015
SUNY Downstate Medical Center’s College of Nursing has received full reaccreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for ten years – the maximum amount of time granted for existing programs. The national accreditation includes the College’s baccalaureate degree, master’s degree, and post-graduate advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) certificate programs. The CCNE Board of Commissioners determined that all accreditation standards were fully met without a single citation or area needing improvement.
"This is a significant achievement," said Daisy Cruz-Richman, PhD, RN, dean of the College of Nursing. "Reaffirmation of accreditation by CCNE demonstrates that the College is achieving its mission, and that our educational outcomes are extremely strong."
The accreditation process for the programs began in the fall of 2012 with the initiation of a self-study process. A three-day accreditation site visit was held in October 2014, following the submission of an extensive self-study. The evaluation team interviewed representatives from the College of Nursing’s Community of Interest (COI): SUNY Downstate senior leadership and College of Nursing administrators; full-time, part-time, and clinical faculty and staff; students, preceptors, and alumni; and clinical and community partners.
In addition, the evaluation team observed classroom, clinical, and simulation lab activities. The team noted that a common theme that they heard from meetings with the COI was “the very high level of communication and how many, if not most, members of the COI feel they are part of the College of Nursing family.”
Dean Cruz-Richman said, “The self-study process was an opportunity for the College of Nursing to examine and evaluate our programs and resources, to build on our strengths, and move into promising areas ahead. The faculty and staff of the College of Nursing and I believe that continuous quality improvement is central to providing the best possible education for our students. We will continue to remain committed to excellence in nursing education.” She commended and thanked the many individuals and departments who contributed to the successful site visit. "This accomplishment required dedication and reflects enormous effort on the part of many people across the Downstate campus.”
“The College of Nursing has excellent academic programs, faculty, staff, and students. I am extremely proud to be the dean of the College of Nursing,” she concluded.
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About SUNY Downstate Medical Center
SUNY Downstate Medical Center, founded in 1860, was the first medical school in the United States to bring teaching out of the lecture hall and to the patient’s bedside. A center of innovation and excellence in research and clinical service delivery, SUNY Downstate Medical Center comprises a College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, a School of Graduate Studies, School of Public Health, University Hospital of Brooklyn, and a multifaceted biotechnology initiative including the Downstate Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT for early-stage and more mature companies, respectively.
SUNY Downstate ranks twelfth nationally in the number of alumni who are on the faculty of American medical schools. More physicians practicing in New York City have graduated from SUNY Downstate than from any other medical school.