ANCC and WGU to Partner on Use of Nurse Credentialing Exams

ANCC and WGU to Partner on Use of Nurse Credentialing Exams

Salt Lake City, Utah (March 24, 2009) Western Governors University (WGU), www.wgu.edu, and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), www.nursecredentialing.org, have agreed to work together on a pilot program that will evaluate the use of ANCC’s Nurse Executive Certification examination as the exit exam, the final milestone required for successful completion of WGU’s master’s degree in Nursing Leadership and Management. The two-year program will allow online, competency-based WGU to utilize a recognized, industry-standard examination as part of its degree program. In addition, it will provide ANCC with data regarding the qualification for certification of students who complete their master’s degrees in nursing using this type of academic model.

            As part of the pilot program, ANCC and WGU will also develop opportunities for nurses who have already earned the Nurse Executive Certification to accelerate completion of their master’s degrees through WGU.

            ANCC Executive Director Jeanne Floyd, PhD, RN, CAE, commented, “The collaboration with WGU is an excellent opportunity for ANCC to align its certifications with the needs of nursing school graduates. This program would provide a comprehensive assessment of students’ knowledge and abilities culminating with their ANCC Nurse Executive certification.”

“At WGU, our degree programs frequently require students to demonstrate competency in their fields by successfully completing assessments and exams developed by professional accrediting agencies,” said WGU President Robert Mendenhall. “ANCC sets the standard for nurse credentialing throughout the world, so using the Nurse Executive Exam for our M.S.N program will help ensure that our graduates are well prepared to be leaders in the field of nursing.”