The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) has granted continuing accreditation to the Yavapai College Associate of Nursing Program.

The ACEN announced the reaccreditation in a formal letter sent to the College, and also commended YC nursing program faculty and leaders, and other institutional colleagues for their flexibility, courage, and resiliency demonstrated during the global pandemic.

“We have an unbelievable group of faculty and staff as part of our nursing team here at YC,” said Dr. Marylou Mercado, Nursing Program Director. “The team put in countless hours and participated in many, many meetings to meet the rigorous criteria set forth by ACEN and it certainly has paid off with this announcement of reaccreditation.”

The ACEN identified the following as strengths of the YC Nursing Program:

1. Standard 1 Mission and Administrative Capacity, Criteria 1.3 and 1.4
   • Clinical partners and educational institutions from around Arizona commented on the transparent, streamlined process related to the sharing of information.
   • The YC Foundation has scholarships for students that exceed $2.5 million.
2. Standard 2 Faculty and Staff, Criterion 2.1
   • The faculty has a high percentage of doctorally prepared educators, and many of the faculty members have additional certifications.
3. Standard 6 Outcomes, Criterion 6.4
   • The program has met its ELA for job placement consecutively for the last three years and is encouraged to consider setting the ELA to be more consistent with its significant achievement.

“It is incredibly rewarding to have three strengths listed by the evaluators. It shows that the YC Nursing Program is strong and beneficial to our students, communities, and stakeholders,” added Dr. Mercado.

The ACEN administers peer review accreditation on 8-year cycles to nursing programs throughout the country. The next Yavapai College Nursing Program accreditation review is scheduled for 2029.

The Yavapai College Nursing Program is a 68.5 credit Associate of Applied Science Degree (A.A.S.) offered at YC’s Prescott and Verde Valley Campuses. Upon successful completion of the program, students are awarded their A.A.S. degree in Nursing and are eligible to apply to take the National Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Yavapai College operates six campuses and centers throughout Yavapai County and offers over 100 degrees and certificates, student and community services, and cultural events and activities.

To learn more about YC, visit www.yc.edu.