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REGULATORY AND ACCREDITATION BODY PAPER

Introduction

The essay gives details of both the accreditation body and the regulatory body. It defines the regulatory body and the accreditation body and gives details about the purposes of each body. The scope of each body is given in the essay together with the similarities and the differences.

In the context of higher education a regulatory body is an organisation that is external and that is empowered to control and to oversee the process of education by the legislation. It can be likened to a professional body but the difference between a regulatory body and a professional body is that the main objective of the body is to protect the public and it is not a membership organisation. The establishment of a regulatory body is on the basis of a legal mandate and not like a professional body. The body creates and enforces the rules and regulation that are to be used in line with the law. The aspect of education in some countries is controlled by the regulatory bodies that are registered in their countries. Accreditation body is an organisation of the higher learning and the delegation to make decision is given to it. It makes the decisions about the appropriateness or the legitimacy of a programme or an institution and also makes the decision about the status on behalf of the higher education. The main purpose of the accreditation body is to uphold the standards that are to be used in the schools and colleges. The whole process of evaluating the basis of accreditation may be delegated to another body or the accreditation body may evaluate the process.

Regulatory body purpose

The regulatory body that has been investigated for the purpose of this study is the Mississippi Board of nursing and it is a state regulatory body that has the responsibility of protecting the public in all matters that concern and are related to nursing. As Mississippi Board of Nursing, (2006), puts it, the public is protected by the body through the use of licensure processes and the regulation of nurses. The purpose of the Mississippi Board of nursing is to regulate the practice of nursing through licensure and it is a consumer protection agency. Provision of quality nursing care is among its purposes and the practitioners who practice nursing are supposed to prove quality care to health care consumers. The regulatory body gives assurance of good quality health care to the consumers as expected by the public. This is done by the board through making rules and regulations that are to be followed in the institutions and also by the qualified students. The main purpose of the regulatory body is to make rules and regulations that are to be followed.

Regulatory body scope

By establishing the scope of practice, the regulatory body regulates the practice of nursing which is in its scope. The board as indicated by the Mississippi Board of Nursing, (2006), is the one that is supposed to conduct the administration of the licensure on examination for the National Council. It regulates the examinations that are done by the registered nurses and the practical nurses that are licensed. All examinations in nursing are under the regulation body and the security ramifications that are involved in the examinations. Within its scope, the board is also responsible for issuing licensure to the candidates who qualify after the nursing examination. The licensure involves the renewal and the issuance of the licenses. The board has also the right to deal with disciplinary proceedings that are violated by the institutions that are concerned.

Accrediting body purpose and scope

Accrediting body purpose

The accrediting body that has been investigated in this situation is the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools. The body is an accrediting body that is recognised and it specializes in the accreditation of institutions that are private, and institutions that are postsecondary and they offer health education programmes. It also deals with accreditation of the programmes that lead to associate certificates or degrees in the medical field.

Accreditation bodies are useful because they help in enhancing the quality of education in the higher education. They also enhance the quality of training in the schools and colleges and help in promoting accountability programmatic and institutional systems. As stated by Koenig, (2004), the key purpose of accreditation bodies is the assurance of quality in the accredited programs and assisting in the programs improvement. To fulfil its role and to be effective in its duty of determining the quality, the body uses systematic and vigorous evaluations that are based on standards that are valid. One of the purposes of Accreditation in higher learning is that an organization that is accredited seems to have achieved organizational proficiency level that is appropriate. Going through accreditation process also shows that the organization has mechanisms that can be relied upon in improvement of quality of the services that are delivered. The accreditation bodies helps organization to know the level of other organizations they can compete with and the ones they can be compared with which are accredited by the same organisation. Another important purpose of the accreditation bodies is that they identify the areas in the higher education that needs to be improved and the suggestion on how the improvements are to be carried out are also made.

Another purpose of the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools is to serve as a recognised national accrediting body in the allied health education in both programs and institutions. The body seeks to establish standards and criteria of administration of programs and institutions in the health education that are predominantly allied to the education. Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools ensures that the standards and criteria that is used in the institutions and for the programs is relevant, reliable, valid and that they can also predict the successful outcomes. As Koenig, (2004), argues, the determination of the successfulness is achieved through follow up and systematic programs review that are comprehensive. Through the body, business standards and ethical standards have been achieved and promoted. Profession of programs and institutions through quality improvement has also been achieved and enhanced.

Accrediting body Scope

Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools in its scope conducts specialized, institutional and programmatic accreditation. The scope in the institutional accreditation allows the body to accredit the whole institution. According to Koenig, (2004), the process that is carried out in the institution focuses on evaluating the institution as a whole and it is accredited as an entity. The other area of scope that is accredited is the professional or the program and in this case it is only a specific program of study that is accredited. The specific program of study is offered by an institution and all the programs are not accredited. The review process of accreditation focuses on one curriculum, department or a program.

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN REGULATION AND ACCREDITATION

Similarities

As stated by Hui, (2009), both the regulatory body and the accrediting body have had effects on the nursing faculty. One of the major similarities between the two bodies is that the main purpose as to why they were formed is to monitor and produce nursing members who are competent for the sake of the public. Both accreditation body and regulatory body hold the educator accountable in performing and delivering education that is optimal to the prospective students. The bodies help the nurses to be competent and to care for the patients in a standard way. This is because the educators use same regulations and they teach all students in the profession to uphold the same standards that are set by accreditation bodies and regulatory bodies.

Differences

One of the differences between the regulatory body and accreditation body is that the main purpose of a regulatory body is to protect the public while accreditation body assists organizations in further improvement. As Hui, (2009), suggested, accreditation body judges and evaluates institutions while a regulatory body creates and enforces regulations and rules for the institutions. The accreditation body through the agency upholds the standards of nursing while the regulatory agency upholds the laws that are used in nursing but the educator who is accountable to both groups is supposed to uphold the standards and the laws.

Conclusion

Regulatory body and accreditation body are both used in promoting harmony and maintaining standards in nursing profession. Difference in the two bodies is seen in their objectives and functions, which has greatly affected nursing institutions. The bodies ensure that the public has been protected and that organizations are being assisted in further development. Both accreditation body and regulatory body are important in higher learning institutions

References

Hui, L., (2009), Laboratory quality regulations and accreditation standards in Canada. Academic journal, Vol. 42 Issue 4/5, p249-255, 7p

Koenig, A, M., (2004), Higher Education accreditation in the Unites States. (Online) available from http://www.eaie.org/pdf/torino/205.pdf Viewed on 24 May 2011

Mississippi Board of Nursing, (2006), Mississippi Board of nursing Rules and Regulations, (Online) Available from http://www.msbn.state.ms.us/pdf/rulesandregulations2006.pdf Viewed on 24 May 2011