Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University's doctor of nursing practice program has earned accreditation from the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission.

In announcing its decision concerning accreditation, the commission cited as an area of strength the commitment of the university, nursing administration and clinical doctorate faculty to the mission of serving the healthcare needs of rural and underserved communities.

"Accreditation is validation of the hard work and commitment to quality that faculty in the department of advanced practice nursing have demonstrated in developing and implementing an outstanding program," said Richard "Biff" Williams, dean of the College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services. "Graduates of the doctor of nursing practice program, as well as their patients, can be assured that the training provided at Indiana State meets or exceeds all national standards."

The doctor of nursing practice degree is one of several new programs Indiana State has developed in recent years to meet the demand for healthcare in rural communities and other underserved locations. The 39-credit hour online program is designed for working professionals who want to expand their skills. It has operated since 2010 as a candidate for accreditation. It is set to produce its second class of graduates in May.

"Our program prepares nursing scholars to become leaders in bringing evidence-based knowledge into clinical practice, to improve health care outcomes and to strengthening nursing education," said Erik Southard, assistant professor of advanced practice nursing and director of the doctor of nursing program. "The opportunity to work in a fully accredited program with nurse leaders across the country to improve care processes for the benefit of patients provides an exciting challenge with great reward. We are pleased the commission recognized our program's commitment to the special challenges of providing healthcare in underserved communities."

The accreditation, based on evaluations and a site-visit completed in 2012, is valid for five years with the next evaluation scheduled for fall 2017.

Contact: Lea Hall, executive director of nursing, College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services, Indiana State University, 812-237- or lea.hall@indstate.edu

Writer: Dave Taylor, media relations director, Office of Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, 812-237-3743 or dave.taylor@indstate.edu