ANCC Earns Prestigious International Certification for Operational Excellence

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has successfully achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification for professional services rendered in the administration of the Magnet Recognition Program® for excellence in healthcare organizations and the Accreditation Program for excellence in continuing nursing education.

ISO 9001:2000 certification is the firmly established global standard for assuring stakeholders of an organization's ability to satisfy quality-related requirements.

ISO as a Value to ANCC

Given that there is no national accreditation available to either of the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® or Accreditation Program, ISO 9001 was pursued and achieved to provide third party independent attestation to the high level of quality and excellence to which these programs adhere.

The benefits to ANCC of achieving ISO 9001 for Magnet and Accreditation have been numerous. Internally, processes are better defined which leads to efficiencies in operations and improved customer satisfaction. This heightens our reputation and recognition in the market. Within the international community, an ISO-registered organization is considered to have received the gold seal of approval issued by one of the highest authorities in global quality management systems. Programs, products, and services are based on uniform policies, denoting that agencies seeking ANCC Accreditation or Magnet Recognition in Beirut will enjoy the same level of quality products and services as interested parties in Houston .

As ANCC representatives have traveled internationally, questions have arisen as to whether ANCC is ISO registered. When the answer is affirmative for Accreditation and Magnet, there follows a nod of approval and a launch into a business dialog. In this way, ISO serves as common currency for engaging in business at a level of trust that might otherwise take years to cultivate.

Within ANCC, risk is minimized when policies and procedures are developed and administered consistently across the organization. Staff is significantly less likely to provide arbitrary, misinformed, or capricious responses to constituents. Customer service surveys are part of the ISO fabric, allowing for early detection of programmatic or service weaknesses. As well, staff is oriented to the work in a clear and consistent manner; and each is supported in knowing where to find reputable answers to queries. An anticipated consequence is that processes are conducted in an efficient, effective, and cost-contained manner.

Finally, Accreditation and Magnet are programs that advise health care communities about the advantages of achieving credentialing excellence. When such statements are supported by ANCC seeking external validation as a mark of excellent performance, clients and potential clients will likely appreciate that ANCC values what credentialing stands for and is willing to undergo the level of scrutiny required of its clients.

ISO Journey at ANCC

The initial scope of registration, which ANCC received in December 2007, included the Magnet Recognition Program and the Accreditation Program. One year later, as required, ANCC successfully passed an annual surveillance audit to maintain the registration.

The Certification Program is currently on the journey to undergo the ISO registration site visit in December 2009. Measurement Services and the Pathway to Excellence Program are expected follow in 2010 and the Institute for Credentialing Innovation in 2011.

When this goal is met as part of ANCC's strategic plan, application of the ISO logo will denote that the entire organization will be ISO registered. Such a designation will mark ANCC globally as a highly credible organization that provides the highest level of services and quality around the world.

What Is ISO 9001?

The International Standards Organization (ISO), the world's largest developer and publisher of international standards, is comprised of a network of the national standards institutes found in 157 countries; one member is designated per country. A Central Secretariat in Geneva , Switzerland , coordinates the system. The U.S. member is the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Although ISO is a non-governmental organization, it bridges the public and private sectors: member institutes may be part of a government structure or the private sector. The public-private combination enables consensus development that supports the creation of solutions meeting business requirements as well as the broader needs of society.

ISO 9001 is an international quality standard that defines requirements for organizational Quality Management Systems (QMS). A QMS comprises the policies, procedures, and other internal requirements that ensure customer requirements are met with consistency, resulting in customer satisfaction. Some of the areas of the organization within the scope of ISO 9001 include:

• Customer contracts
• Hiring and employee training
• Selection and managing of suppliers
• Management responsibility
• Internal Quality Audits
• Process design
• Service delivery
• Monitoring & measurement (metrics)
• Continual improvement
• Corrective and preventive action

To receive an ISO 9001 registration an organization must implement the necessary processes and procedures, document and control the processes, establish metrics to monitor performance, and demonstrate continual improvement. The registration is valid for three years, contingent upon successful annual surveillance audits.

Organizations that implement an ISO 9001 QMS usually realize important benefits, including a more organized operating environment, efficiencies in operations, improved employee morale, and improved customer satisfaction. Implementation of an ISO 9001 QMS helps to build a strong quality culture of ownership, accountability, and overall improved performance. Roles and responsibilities are clearly articulated, processes are defined and documented, and an overall culture of standardization, consistency, and quality result.