Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

BENTON HARBOR — Lake Michigan College’s Health Sciences Division announced that its nursing program received continuing accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing through spring 2029.

The ACEN Board of Commissioners granted LMC continuing accreditation for its Associate in Applied Science nursing program at its meeting in September following a peer review and virtual site visit March 8-11.

“This site visit was completed for the first time virtually, which was a pivot for the nursing faculty and LMC Administration,” said Health Sciences Dean Marla Clark. “The creativity of our nursing faculty to capture all the necessary documents and data for the ACEN reviewers to access was superb. At the same time, they were also launching a modified nursing curriculum that now allows for a twice-a-year admission process. The passion and tireless work our nursing faculty demonstrated throughout this process was nothing short of remarkable.”

The peer-review process involves program assessment planning and evaluation by the nursing department and staff team – with oversight by ACEN peer experts – to enhance quality improvement in nursing education.

Last year, LMC modified its nursing curriculum to allow cohorts for both the fall and spring semesters, increasing the number of nursing seats from 88 to 96 per academic year.

“We are proud to continue the tradition of quality nursing education at Lake Michigan College,” said Nursing Program Director Denise Gardner. “This program has a long history of preparing our students to excel, and our nursing faculty continues to look for ways to improve our program to assure that we stay current with nursing standards of practice. For myself, the most gratifying aspect of teaching is seeing our graduates provide excellent nursing care in our community.”

To receive ACEN accreditation, nursing schools and departments must demonstrate evidence of successful mastery in six categories – mission and administration, nursing faculty and staff excellence, student resources, curriculum, program resources, and program outcomes.

LMC’s nursing program has been ACEN-accredited since 1981. On average, 93 percent of LMC nursing students pass their NCLEX-RN State Boards on the first attempt, with a job placement rate of more than 90 percent after graduation.

LMC submits annual reports and updates to ACEN regarding academic progress and areas of growth to meet expected standards of educational quality specific to nursing education. The next site visit for program accreditation is planned for spring 2029.

The ACEN is considered the leading authority in nursing education. It is the world’s oldest nursing education accreditor and one of the largest specialized accrediting agencies, accrediting nursing programs throughout the U.S., its territories, and internationally. The ACEN is recognized as an accrediting body by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

For more information about LMC’s nursing program, visit lakemichigancollege.edu/nursing.