The National League for Nursing (NLN) is a national organization for faculty nurses and leaders in
nurse education
Nurse education consists of the theoretical and practical training provided to nurses with the purpose to prepare them for their duties as nursing care professionals. This education is provided to student nurses by experienced nurses and other med ...
. It offers
faculty development Faculty development is a similarly used term to staff development and professional development, in settings that pertain to educators.
Professional development for educators may include teacher training, and is usually considered pre-service, or ...
, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to more than 40,000 individual and 1,200 education and associate members.
Mission
The National League for Nursing promotes excellence in nursing education to build a strong and diverse nursing workforce to advance the health of our nation and the global community.
History
The NLN was founded in 1893 as the American Society of Superintendents of Training Schools for Nurses and was the first organization for nursing in the U.S. I
n 1912, it was renamed the National League for Nursing Education (NLNE) and released the first Standard Curriculum for Schools of Nursing in 1917.
In 1942, the NLNE created individual membership, enabling African-American nurses to participate in the organization. In 1952, the NLNE combined with the National Organization for Public Health Nursing and the Association for Collegiate Schools of Nursing as the National League for Nursing, and the
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was split into the Department ...
(USDE) recognized the NLN, including it on the initial list of recognized accrediting agencies. This allowed the NLN to assume responsibility for the accreditation of nursing schools in the U.S.
![Willie Mae Jones 1955](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Willie_Mae_Jones_1955.jpg)
At this time, the NLN included African-American nurses in positions, including the board of directors. Willie Mae Jackson Jones, of the Community Nursing Services of
Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair () is a township in Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated on the cliffs of the Watchung Mountains, Montclair is a wealthy and diverse commuter town and suburb of New York City within the New York metropolitan area. As ...
, served as the first African-American in the organization, as a member of the first NLN board of directors. Additionally,
Dr. Lillian Holland Harvey, the Dean of the Tuskegee Institute School of Nursing, was also on the board of directors.
Awards
NLN presents a number of awards every year. Among the major awards given are the
Mary Adelaide Nutting
Mary Adelaide Nutting (November 1, 1858 – October 3, 1948) was a Canadian nurse, educator, and pioneer in the field of hospital care. After graduating from Johns Hopkins University's first nurse training program in 1891, Nutting helped to found ...
Award for Outstanding Teaching or Leadership in Nursing Education, the
Isabel Hampton Robb Isabel Adams Hampton Robb (1859–1910) was an American nurse theorist, author, nursing school administrator and early leader. Hampton was the first Superintendent of Nurses at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, wrote several influential textbook ...
Award for Outstanding Leadership in Clinical Practice, and the
Lillian Wald
Lillian D. Wald (March 10, 1867 – September 1, 1940) was an American nurse, humanitarian and author. She was known for contributions to human rights and was the founder of American community nursing. She founded the Henry Street Settlement in N ...
Humanitarian Award.
Accrediting Commission
In 1996, the NLN Board of Governors approved establishment of an independent entity within the organization to be known as the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). In 1997, the NLNAC began operations with sole authority and accountability for carrying out the responsibilities inherent to the accreditation processes.
Fifteen Commissioners were appointed: nine nurse educators, three nursing service representatives, and three public members. The Commissioners assumed responsibilities for the management, financial decisions, policy-making, and general administration of the NLNAC.
The NLNAC was incorporated as a subsidiary of the NLN in 2001, and twelve years later, the name of the NLNAC was changed to the
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
The National League for Nursing (NLN) is a national organization for faculty nurses and leaders in nurse education. It offers faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiative ...
(ACEN), the name under which the subsidiary continues to operate.
On December 1, 2014, Marsal P. Stoll, EdD, MSN, was appointed the chief executive officer of the ACEN.
In 2014, the NLN created an additional commission for nursing education accreditation, the Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA). On July 1, 2014, Judith A. Halstead, PhD, RN, FAAN, ANEF, was appointed executive director of the CNEA.
Both organizations operate to support the interests of nursing education through accreditation. A core difference is that the ACEN is recognized by the USDE. This recognition includes the ACEN being recognized by the USDE as an “institutional” accreditation agency, and as such the nursing program offered by the “institution” can be eligible for Higher Education Reauthorization Act, Title IV funds through the ACEN.
A collection of papers including proceedings of annual conventions, meeting minutes, biographical data of early leaders, correspondence, and photos are held at the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland.
["National League for Nursing Records 1894-1952". National Library of Medicine.]
Accredited Programs
The number of accredited programs awarding academic degrees, diplomas or certificates by the NLNAC as of 2010:
* Clinical Doctorate — 2
* Nursing Doctorate — 1
* Master of Nursing — 197
* Baccalaureate — 234
* Associate — 673
* Diploma — 53
* Practical Nursing — 162
Testing
The NLN provides the Total Assessment Program (TAP) for NCLEX Success, which is a comprehensive testing services program for nurse educators, students, and practitioners. TAP is a complete preparation package to assess students’ abilities and achievement prior to admission, after specific courses, and at the completion of nursing programs. The TAP package consists of Pre-Admission Exams; Achievement Exams, including Practice Tests and Remediation; Pre-NCLEX Readiness Exams; Live Review; and Question Review Bank (QRB).
See also
*
List of nursing organizations National nursing organizations
*The Trained Nurses' Association of India
* United Nurses Association (India)
* Alliance of Young Nurse Leaders and Advocates
*American Nurses Association
*An Bord Altranais
*Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association
* ...
*
Lucile Petry Leone
Lucile Petry Leone (January 23, 1902 – November 25, 1999) was an American nurse who was the founding director of the Cadet Nurse Corps in 1943. Because the Nurse Corps met its recruiting quotas, it was not necessary for the US to draft nurses i ...
*
Katharine Jane Densford
Katharine Jane Densford (1890–1978) was an American nurse who made important contributions to nursing education and to nursing services during World War II. Densford was Director of the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, serving in that ...
References
External links
*
*http://www.acenursing.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:National League For Nursing
Nursing organizations in the United States
1893 establishments in the United States
School accreditors
Educational organizations based in the United States
Nursing education
Medical and health organizations based in Washington, D.C.
Fellows of the Academy of Nursing Education
Healthcare accreditation organizations in the United States