In the beginning of 2013, several state nurses associations (SNAs) formed a collaborative, namely the Midwest Multistate Division (Midwest MSD), with the goal of promoting efficiencies and growth. This is a collaboration of three states from the Midwest, including Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Each SNA will retain its own state identity while utilizing shared resources within the Midwest MSD. The Midwest MSD will provide unified tools and technologies and streamlined resources, while taking advantage of ANA capabilities and resources in order to strengthen each SNA.
As part of this collaborative, the Midwest Multistate Division Professional Development Unit (Midwest MSD PD Unit) was formed, and we streamlined applications, combined staff resources, and melded policies and procedures for the new Midwest MSD Accredited Approver Unit.
The Midwest Multistate Division is accredited as an approver with distinction and provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC COA).
The Midwest MSD offers two approval processes for agencies/organizations/facilities to utilize to obtain approval to award nursing contact hours to nurses for the nursing continuing professional development programs they provide:
Benefits of Accreditation
- Nurses look for ANCC approved contact hours when selecting continuing education activities.
- Indicates an organization’s willingness for adherence to objective national standards.
- Respect for achieving a high standard of excellence.
- Provides an avenue through which nurses can maintain professional competence.
- Promotes commitment to high quality nursing practice.
- ANCC-accredited continuing education is the most effective and sustainable strategy to improve professional nursing practice.
- ANCC accreditation enjoys wide recognition and acceptance by licensing boards and other regulatory bodies.