March 30, 2004

Accreditation promotes excellence in nursing education programs, while provincial approval of nursing education programs is a regulatory and legislative requirement that focuses on standards of practice, ethics, and competencies demonstrated by new nursing graduates.

CASN strives to stay abreast of provincial regulatory processes through continual dialogue and ensuring representatives from the provincial regulatory bodies are on committees and/or involved in activities pertaining to CASN’s mandate; for example, a representative from the Registered Nurses Association of British Columbia participated in developing the new CASN Accreditation standards, and the Board of Accreditation has a regulatory body representative, currently from the College of Nurses of Ontario.

The CASN Accreditation process is often viewed as complimentary to the provincial approval process. For example, CASN accreditation reviews in New Brunswick and British Columbia have occurred in tandem with the approval reviews by their respective bodies, the Nurses Association of New Brunswick (NANB) and Registered Nurses Association of British Columbia (RNABC). Considerable communication and coordination of the visits is carried out between CASN and the approval bodies to ensure joint logistical arrangements for the teams, and achievement of accreditation and approval requirements.

The Association of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador (ARNNL) used the CASN Accreditation Program as the basis for approval with the provision to evaluate requirements consistent with its legislated mandate. The ARNNL retains responsibility for developing policy to govern use of the accreditation program as the basis for approval, determining the approval status, and making recommendations to a school of nursing. (Introduction to ARNNL Approval Process for Schools of Nursing, Basic Nursing Education Program, approved by ARNNL Council 27 October 1997). During February 2001, the ARNN education consultant participated as an observer in three CASN accreditation reviews.

In 1993, the Registered Nurses Association of Nova Scotia, now the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia (CRNNS), adopted the results of a CASN accreditation review for the purpose of program approval.

And after extensive consultation with all stakeholders, the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) Council at its 27 September 2000 meeting designated CASN accreditation for the purpose of program approval. Beginning in 2005, all students entering the profession must graduate from a program that has achieved CASN accreditation. Since accreditation cannot be achieved until a new program graduates its first class, a pre-accreditation process is undertaken after the first year of a new program, which will meet the regulatory ‘approval’ requirement for entry into the profession. (25 October 2000 letter from CNO to Heads of Schools of Nursing in Ontario).

NOTE : PLEASE SEE CASN POLICY ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

The CASN Accreditation Program is the property of CASN. Only Canadian Schools of Nursing that are CASN member Schools, are eligible to participate in a CASN Accreditation peer review, are eligible to receive “accredited" status from the CASN Board of Accreditation and if they are successful in achieving accreditation status, are eligible to use “graduate of an accredited program" or “accredited" in the School’s and program’s publications. Any other use of the latter terms without written CASN approval will result in legal action.