The U.S. Department of Education uses accreditation to verify that educational programs meet quality standards in preparing students for careers related to their field of study. The Department works with both public and private organizations called accrediting agencies that carry out this quality assurance process.
In nursing, two accrediting agencies evaluate nursing programs at the associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels for standards of quality and rigor:
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Nurses looking to advance their careers should know what accredited nursing programs are and consider graduate programs accredited by the ACEN or CCNE. Choosing an accredited program ensures their education meets the standards for advancement and certification.
Why Accreditation Matters
There are important advantages for students who graduate from an accredited nursing program versus those who don’t, including:
- A Department of Education-approved agency has deemed the program valuable to students and their future careers in nursing.
- Accreditation unlocks federal and state funding for students in the program.
- Graduates of accredited programs are eligible to sit for the relevant certification and licensing examinations.
- Many health care employers prefer to hire graduates of accredited programs for their nursing teams.
Students who attend a non-accredited nursing program may find themselves at a disadvantage after graduation.
ACEN Educational Standards for Accreditation
The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing breaks down its 2023 criteria for evaluation into five categories: administrative capacity and resources, faculty, students, curriculum, and outcomes. The criteria that a program must meet ensure that students are set up for enduring learning, substantive growth, and support from educational mentors. With these criteria, a student can have confidence that they will graduate with the potential for successful careers in nursing.
The specifics of these categories show what’s truly considered imperative in an accredited nursing program.
Administrative Capacity and Resources
The standards in this category state that the organization running the program must have the resources and capacity to deliver the educational experience detailed in their program. The ACEN looks at the learning and potential professional outcomes of a given program to evaluate whether the course of study is well-suited to realistically meet those outcomes. Students of accredited programs can feel confident that they’re on a pathway to real potential career growth.
Faculty
Standards for faculty ensure that professors and mentors in accredited nursing programs are qualified, experienced professionals who can impart substantive learning to students in their program. It’s important that the program faculty — each with their own areas of expertise — are focused on guiding students toward positive educational and career outcomes and have the ability to do so.
Students
Standards pertaining to students don’t refer to the application requirements of students; that’s the school’s domain to handle. Rather, these standards look at the policies and services of the program to ensure that they are supportive and tied to the potential professional outcomes of the program. For prospective students of nursing programs, accreditation means that policies and services are in place to support their success and growth.
Curriculum
These standards look closely at the instructional side of the program to evaluate whether the program includes the curriculum necessary to adequately prepare students for success in the field. Curricula are generally built around a body of knowledge as well as personal and professional competencies for success. In nursing, accreditation means that the curriculum has been deemed appropriate and valuable to students’ professional outcomes.
Outcomes
Standards in this category necessitate regular reflection by program faculty about the end-of-program student learning outcomes. This reflection is part of a process of continuous programmatic improvement that is a key indicator of an accredited nursing program.
Pathways to Becoming an RN Through an Accredited Nursing Program
There are two pathways to becoming a Registered Nurse (RN):
- Two-year associate degree in nursing (ADN)
- Four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN)
RNs used to become licensed through an associate degree, or even a diploma program administered by a hospital nursing school. However, a few factors shifted the preferred pathway to nursing licensure toward undergraduate and graduate degree programs:
- Changes and complexities in the administration of medical care
- Employer preferences for higher levels of competence and clinical knowledge
- Positive effect a higher level of nursing education has on patient outcomes
- Nursing workforce seeking pathways to higher salaries and levels of responsibility
For these reasons, the percentage of RNs who hold a BSN degree or higher was greater than 70% for the first time in 2022, according to the Journal of Nursing Regulation’s 2022 National Nursing Workforce Study.
Key Objectives of an Accredited MSN Program
Active nurses who hold bachelor’s degrees and want to elevate their career opportunities often pursue an MSN degree. An MSN program helps RNs become more effective at bedside nursing and as team leaders. These RNs can also become medical facility administrators and nurse educators as well as health care data collection and analytics professionals.
Students of an accredited nursing program at the master’s level can be confident that their studies are equipping them with:
- Practical and clinical knowledge to deliver effective patient care
- Soft skills, such as communication, critical thinking, and methods of self-care
- A clear pathway to career advancement
- Options for specialization based on their career interests and goals
Salaries for RNs with master’s degrees are cited as $25,000 higher per year than those of RNs with bachelor’s degrees according to a 2022 study by the Journal of Nursing Regulation. Median earnings for those with BSNs was $75,000 — and $100,000 for MSN holders.
These nurses usually earn more because of the substantive increase in knowledge, skills, and ability that a motivated RN with an MSN can demonstrate.
Subject Areas and Specialties Covered in an Accredited MSN Program
So what can an ambitious nurse learn as they work through an MSN program? Subject areas covered in an accredited nursing program at the master’s level include the “3 P’s” of nursing:
- Pathophysiology: The study of bodily systems (physiology) and how disease affects them (pathology), this focus empowers students of nursing to understand and identify diseases by knowing what common symptoms and markers may appear in a patient.
- Health promotion: Exploring evidence-based practices for educating individual patients and families, nurses can help them reach their optimal health. MSN students also learn ways to promote health on a broader scale and battle health inequities across populations.
- Pharmacology: The branch of medicine that deals with medications and their safe administration, this subject enables MSN graduates to confidently support medical teams and patients with the appropriate administration of drugs.
An MSN program may also allow its students to specialize in a discipline that aligns with their interests and career goals. Common areas of specialty include:
Team Leadership
This specialty is for RNs whose goal is to move away from the bedside to lead nursing units through their day-to-day responsibilities. They can hold roles such as charge nurse, director of nursing, or nurse administrator.
Nurse Education
Specialties in education are for RNs who have loved working in a medical setting and are ready to share their experience and expertise with others. Their goal may be to work in teaching hospitals or at a college or university, instructing tomorrow’s nurses. Roles include nurse educator and director of nursing education.
Public Health
A specialty in public or global health is great for RNs who want to make a positive impact on health care on a broader scale. They’ve worked in clinical settings where they’ve seen the importance of promoting health and wellness among both patients and staff. These highly trained nurses may even have the goal of effecting change at the international, federal, state, or local level. Relevant roles include public health nurses working for government agencies or non-profits.
Informatics and Data Analytics
Informatics is the science of processing data. The health care industry and medical settings are full of data points — lab results and rates of infection, for example. Relevant data may also include external factors, such as insurance company policies and their effects on patient outcomes. Informatics roles can offer exciting career growth for RNs who have worked on the ground floor and have discovered an interest in looking at medicine through this data-rich lens. Potential roles include nurse informatics specialist and health care data analyst.
Benefits and Professional Outcomes of Accredited Nursing Programs at Different Levels (ABSN, BSN, MSN, Post-MSN)
An accredited nursing program at the master’s level can provide a pathway to a higher salary, increased responsibility and impact, and specialization for a motivated RN. But an MSN isn’t the only way to seek career advancement. Other educational pathways could be the right choice, particularly for those seeking a career change to nursing or active nurses who have yet to earn a bachelor’s degree. Educational tracks for new and working nurses include the following.
Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs
An Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program typically serves non-nurses who hold bachelor’s degrees in fields other than nursing. These programs are accelerated because students already hold bachelor’s degrees, so the curriculum can be highly concentrated on the principles and practical knowledge of nursing.
RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Programs
An RN to BSN program typically serves working nurses who hold accredited associate degrees in nursing and are ready to expand their careers. Common subject areas include nutrition, life span processes, population health, human anatomy, and much more. Prospective students often wonder what they can do with a BSN and are attracted by the opportunities that a BSN can unlock.
Potential roles for BSN graduates include:
- Clinical Nurse Manager
- Oversees teams or units of nurses through their day-to-day responsibilities
- Approximate median salary as of August 2024: $90,270
- Utilization Management Nurse
- Collects and studies information about patient experience and outcomes to set and implement improvement programs at their medical facility
- Approximate median salary as of July 2024: $79,690
- Nurse Case Manager
- Works with long-term care patients and their families to guide them through the condition and treatment options, while also being a liaison with insurance.
- Approximate median salary as of August 2024: $79,710
RN to MSN Programs and MSN Programs
An MSN degree can open new career pathways for RNs to pursue roles with increased levels of responsibility, impact, pay, and specialization. The program serves students who hold a BSN and are seeking career advancement. This program type can also empower students to specialize, as many MSN students know which areas interest them most.
Potential roles for MSN graduates, by area of specialization, include the following.
Leadership Roles
- Nursing Manager
- Oversees nursing teams or units while taking a higher-level view into how to improve operations for effective and efficient care delivery
- Approximate median salary as of August 2024: $95,850
- Nurse Administrator
- Manages the entire nursing department and operations at a health care facility
- Approximate median salary as of May 2024: $96,540
- Chief Nursing Officer
- Similar to a nurse administrator, but sits on the executive team and often oversees personnel, recruitment, training, and finances of the department
- Approximate median salary as of August 2024: $145,360
Education Roles
- Nurse Educator
- A nurse who creates and facilitates nurse training and continued development at a medical facility
- Approximate median salary as of August 2024: $84,740
Someone in this type of role can advance to a role such as Director of Nursing Education within a medical facility or in an educational institution as well.
Public Health Roles
- Public Health Nurse
- Often works in a government setting focusing on a sector of the population and promoting improvements in its health and well-being
- Approximate median salary as of August 2024: $73,040
- Occupational Health Nurse
- Observes how work carried out by a given organization affects the health and well-being of its employees and can work with the organization to improve conditions over time
- Approximate median salary as of April 2024: $80,470
Informatics Roles
- Data Analyst
- Analyzes data to shape policy and practice in the industry
- Approximate median salary — across industries — as of August 2024: $67,790
- Informatics Nurse
- Uses data collection and analysis to suggest improvements in patient care at their medical facility
- Approximate median salary as of August 2024: $84,730
- Clinical Informatics Manager
- Uses their database management skills to cull and present information to the organization’s leadership to support insightful decision-making
- Approximate median salary as of March 2024: $105,650
Post-MSN, Post-DNP Certificate Programs
Certification programs that serve both MSN and DNP holders empower advanced nurses to reach a new level of specialization and expertise. For instance, a certificate program for nurse practitioners in Adult Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP) can prepare students to work with hospitalized adults experiencing an acute disruption to health.
Potential roles include:
- Emergency Department Manager
- Often a nurse, someone in this role runs on-the-ground operations of an emergency unit of a hospital.
- Approximate median salary as of July 2024: $103,080
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Nurse Manager
- This role is similar to a nurse manager but specializes in ICUs.
- Approximate median salary as of August 2023: $90,440
Pursue Career Growth in Nursing with TU’s Accredited MSN Program
It’s important to understand what an accredited nursing program is and how it can be a pathway to professional possibilities for motivated nurses. A master’s degree expands the scope and depth of those opportunities. Pursuing knowledge with an educational organization that is accredited makes all the difference — you can begin your journey knowing that the organization has met the standards of quality and rigor, including the ability to support you on your way.
If you’re an active nurse who’s ready for the next step in your career, explore The University of Tulsa’s online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), accredited by ACEN. Our MSN program offers one-to-one faculty support who can help you identify and reach your professional goals. We also offer three specialty tracks to help you customize your learning journey:
- Leadership and Innovation
- Public Health Global Vision
- Education and Evaluation
Each track prepares students for a range of advanced nursing careers from administration to education and bedside care, where you can increase your impact.
Explore our ACEN accredited online MSN to expand your nursing career.
Recommended Readings
How Leaders Drive Quality Improvement in Nursing
MSN vs. RN: Why Earn an Advanced Degree?
Nursing Research: What It Is and Why It Matters
Sources:
AACN, Fact Sheet: The Impact of Education on Nursing Practice
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, 2023 Standards and Criteria
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Why ACEN Accreditation Matters
American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Master’s Education
Journal of Nursing Regulation, The 2022 National Nursing Workforce Survey
Payscale, Average Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Salary
Payscale, Average Clinical Informatics Manager Salary
Payscale, Average Clinical Nurse Manager Salary
Payscale, Average Clinical Nurse Manager with Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Skills Salary
Payscale, Average Data Analyst Salary
Payscale, Average Emergency Department Manager Salary
Payscale, Average Informatics Nurse Salary
Payscale, Average Nurse Administrator Salary
Payscale, Average Nurse Case Manager Salary
Payscale, Average Nurse Educator Salary
Payscale, Average Nursing Manager Salary
Payscale, Average Occupational Health Nurse Hourly Pay
Payscale, Average Public Health Nurse Hourly Pay
Payscale, Average Registered Nurse (RN), Utilization Management (UM) Salary
