National League for Nursing

History

The NLN originated in 1893 as the American Society of Superintendents of Training Schools for Nurses, the first nursing organization in the U.S. It became the National League for Nursing Education (NLNE) in 1912 and issued the first Standard Curriculum for Schools of Nursing in 1917. Individual membership was created in 1942, allowing African-American nurses to join.

In 1952, the NLNE merged with the National Organization for Public Health Nursing and the Association for Collegiate Schools of Nursing to form the National League for Nursing. That same year, the U.S. Department of Education recognized the NLN, placing it on the initial list of recognized accrediting agencies and enabling it to accredit nursing schools. African-American nurses served on the board, including Willie Mae Jackson Jones and Dr. Lillian Holland Harvey.

Accrediting Commission

In 1996, the NLN Board of Governors approved an independent entity, the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), which began operations in 1997 with sole authority for accreditation. Fifteen Commissioners—nine nurse educators, three nursing service representatives, and three public members—managed financial decisions, policy-making, and administration. The NLNAC was incorporated as a subsidiary in 2001 and renamed the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) twelve years later.

Marsal P. Stoll, EdD, MSN, became ACEN chief executive officer on December 1, 2014. In 2014, the NLN created a second commission, the Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA), with Judith A. Halstead, PhD, RN, FAAN, ANEF, appointed executive director on July 1, 2014. Both commissions support nursing education accreditation, but only the ACEN is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an institutional accrediting agency, making nursing programs eligible for Title IV funds.

A collection of NLN papers is held at the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland. As of 2010, the NLNAC accredited 2 clinical doctorate, 1 nursing doctorate, 197 master of nursing, 234 baccalaureate, 673 associate, 53 diploma, and 162 practical nursing programs.

Testing

The NLN offers the Total Assessment Program (TAP) for NCLEX Success, a comprehensive testing service for nurse educators, students, and practitioners. TAP includes Pre-Admission Exams, Achievement Exams with Practice Tests and Remediation, Pre-NCLEX Readiness Exams, Live Review, and a Question Review Bank (QRB) to assess abilities before admission, after courses, and at program completion.

Did You Know?

• The NLN presents the Mary Adelaide Nutting Award for Outstanding Teaching or Leadership in Nursing Education.
• The Isabel Hampton Robb Award recognizes Outstanding Leadership in Clinical Practice.
• The Lillian Wald Humanitarian Award is another major award given by the NLN.