B.M. Spurr School of Practical Nursing at Reynolds Memorial Hospital recently received notification of full state accreditation by the West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses. The school has again received the maximum three-year accreditation award.
What does this full state accreditation mean?
According to School Director Carol Storm, MSN, RN, the accreditation follows an on-site visit and a thorough review conducted by the West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses. Accreditations can be awarded for one-, two- or three-year intervals.
The achievement of accreditation in nursing indicates to the general public and the educational community that a nursing program has clear and appropriate educational objectives and is providing the conditions under which these objectives can be fulfilled. Accreditation is a process of evaluation by which the nursing school program is appraised in relation to predetermined criteria and is publicly recognized as meeting or exceeding these standards.
The school also has a full eight-year accreditation through 2017 by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), which is officially recognized as the national accrediting agency for nursing education by both government and voluntary regulatory agencies.
ACEN focuses on outcome criteria based on federal and state regulations, which require educational effectiveness and public accountability. This organization exists to facilitate and stimulate quality within nursing while, at the same time, guaranteeing the integrity of nursing’s academic and professional standing to the world.
B.M. Spurr School of Practical Nursing classes and admission testing
The B.M. Spurr School of Practical Nursing was founded in 1951 and has graduated 1,553 practical nurses.
Classes begin each September with entrance examinations scheduled in January, February, March, and early April. The school is currently conducting admission testing for the fall 2016 class. Financial assistance in the form of student loans, grants, and scholarships is available.
For more information on the program, contact the school office from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at 304-843-3255.