Marian K. Shaughnessy Nurse Leadership Academy recognized as an International Council of Nurses Accredited Centre for Research and Development
This distinction places the academy among just 17 institutions worldwide—and one of only two in the United States—to receive this designation.
The Marian K. Shaughnessy Nurse Leadership Academy at Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing has earned global recognition as an International Council of Nurses (ICN) Accredited Centre for Research and Development. This designation, tied to the International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP), places the academy among only two institutions in the United States—and one of only 17 worldwide—to receive this distinction.
“This designation as an ICN-accredited ICNP Research and Design Center strengthens our mission of making nursing’s full value visible, measurable and actionable through developing a globally standardized nursing terminology,” said associate professor Andrew Reimer, PhD. “It also elevates the Marian K. Shaughnessy Nurse Leadership Academy as a global leader, advancing the sustained research and international collaboration needed to improve patient outcomes and shape healthcare policy worldwide.”
The recognition reflects the academy’s growing leadership in advancing how nursing care is understood, measured and communicated. The ICNP provides a standardized language that allows nursing practice to be described consistently across countries and healthcare systems. By aligning with this framework, the academy is helping elevate the visibility and impact of nursing on a global scale.
As part of this designation, the Marian K. Shaughnessy Nurse Leadership Academy is launching a research collaboration with University Hospitals focused on how nurses’ work is recorded and interpreted within hospital systems. Using real-world electronic health record data, researchers aim to better understand how nursing care is currently documented and to identify whether ICNP concepts are already embedded in existing records.
This work is critical to the broader goal of demonstrating the full value of nursing care. By developing clearer ways to measure and articulate nursing contributions, researchers hope to better connect nursing actions to patient outcomes and healthcare costs—insights that can inform decision-making, policy and practice improvements.
Becoming an ICNP Research and Development Centre also provides the academy with direct access to ICN resources and a global network of collaborators. This connection strengthens opportunities for international research partnerships and positions the academy at the forefront of efforts to standardize nursing terminology worldwide.
