The Loma Linda University School of Nursing is entering an unusually active six-month stretch of accreditation and regulatory review, with three organizations visiting: the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN), and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Each plays a distinct role in ensuring programs meet standards and graduates are prepared for practice.
COA, the national accreditor for nurse anesthesia education, will review the Nurse Anesthesia DNP program — examining governance, resources, faculty, curriculum, clinical education, student support, and outcomes like attrition, employment, and certification pass rates.
BRN, California's state regulator rather than an accreditor, approves nursing programs so pre-licensure graduates can sit for the NCLEX-RN. Its review covers curriculum, faculty approvals, clinical agreements, student records, pass rates, and administrative resources.
CCNE, the AACN's accrediting arm, accredits the School's BSN, MS, and DNP programs, focusing on mission, governance, resources, curriculum, and outcomes.
BRN and CCNE reviews are both scheduled for March 1–3, coordinated to reduce duplication for faculty, students, and clinical partners.
These reviews matter because accreditation and state approval underpin graduates' licensure eligibility, financial aid access, credit transfer, and employment requiring an approved program. This year is unusual in that cycles normally spaced 5–10 years apart have converged.
The School has prepared self-studies for each review, drawing on outcomes data, curriculum mapping, faculty credential audits, clinical agreements, and facilities assessments. Peer reviewers — nurse educators, administrators, and practicing CRNAs — will assess whether those self-studies reflect the real experiences of students, faculty, and partners.
"This process is an opportunity to reflect on how well we are preparing our graduates for professional practice and to reaffirm our commitment to continuous improvement," said Dean Shawn Collins. "At Loma Linda, we strive to go beyond meeting standards by bringing clinical excellence together with compassion, integrity, teamwork, and wholeness."