The CCNE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accreditation agency in the scope of nursing. The agency is responsible for holding nursing schools accountable to the interest of the general public. The CCNE handles processes such as evaluating the success of nursing programs, seeing that the school meets accreditation standards and identifying which schools meet these standards.
This regulatory entity handles the creation of the NCLEX-RN exam, which is the exam that graduate-level nurses must pass in order to become licensed by their state. While this agency may not deal directly with each school, it influences the curriculum by formulating questions that will appear on the exam. They also monitor trends in nursing education and practice, conduct research and allow peers to collaborate on various public health concerns.
The National League for Nursing is another regulation agency that most nursing students are familiar with. This organization's mission is to ensure nursing education is consistent, to provide the public with safe and quality health care. It has become the primary source for information on accreditation status, legislation and regulations that govern the schools. The NLN also strives to keep the future of nursing fresh with new knowledge by promoting evidence-based practice, quality research and giving students the ability to become critical thinkers within the curriculum and the profession.
The most influential entity is the State Board of Nursing found in every state. This is the organization that regulates the licensure of nursing personnel, education requirements, complaints against specific practitioners and what a student can do in their scope of practice. Every state sets their own laws regarding the practice of nursing, so each state may be slightly different. The laws within the state you wish to practice should be thoroughly consulted to avoid any problems in the future. Students and faculty must adhere to the laws presented by the state, and as such the State Board is a very powerful entity in regards to nursing education.