Adapting the CAUSN accreditation process for emerging models of nursing education in Canada

This paper highlights the accreditation issues raised by new and emerging models of baccalaureate nursing education and program delivery in Canada. It suggests ways of adapting the accreditation process to address recent changes. Nursing degree programs now offered by universities include programs at several sites, collaborative programs with partner institutions at multiple sites, and programs offered primarily through distance education. The accreditation program developed by the Canadian Association of University Schools of Nursing (CAUSN) provides a mechanism for monitoring the quality of a nursing education program and promoting the growth of the school that offers the program. Since the decision to undergo accreditation signifies a major commitment on the part of a nursing program, it is essential that the accreditation process be adaptable to meet the needs of evolving nursing education and program delivery models, and that it be fair, equitable, and credible.