Brenau University's Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in the Ivester College of Health Sciences has been granted its initial accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
The program was started in 2009, making Brenau one of the first in the nation to start one. The accreditation lasts five years, which is the maximum amount of time the CCNE allows for programs seeking initial accreditation according to Troy Heidesch, the director of the Mary Inez Grindle School of Nursing accreditation is based on an evaluation of the program during the fall of 2021.
“We always thought we had an exceptional program and this accreditation confirms that for those looking at Brenau and the Mary Inez Grindle School of Nursing,” Heidesch said in a press release.
Jill Haynes, a professor of nursing at Brenau, said that accreditation is not required to grant degrees, but is recommended to demonstrate a program of excellence, making the student's education journey easier. A current student, Nicole Bansavage, in her final year of the DNP program said she delayed her education until the program was accredited, stating that it sets a high standard and removes barriers for students.
“I decided to put my DNP program on hold in 2020 because it was important to me to graduate from an accredited program,” Bansavage said.
Jane Buffington, an associate professor of nursing at Brenau and PRN nurse at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center, obtained her DNP at Brenau. She was hired before the program was accredited but said that the accreditation helped improved her credibility as a leader and practitioner.
Last June, the CCNE awarded a 10-year accreditation to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing and post-master’s certificate in adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner programs following a two-year review process.
