Jennifer Green

Herzing University, USA

Abstract Title:

Risk, Reputation, and Responsiveness: Managing Nursing and Healthcare Student Complaints in a Highly Regulated Environment

Biography:

Jennifer Green serves as Associate VP of Academic Compliance at Herzing University, where she oversees compliance strategy and alignment with state, federal, and accreditation (ABA, ABHES, ACEN, ARC/STSA, CAAHEP, CAPTE, CAHIIM, CCNE, CoAEMSP, CODA, CSWE, and IACBE) requirements across the US. Ms. Green has 18 years of experience in nursing and healthcare education and serves as an ACEN arbitrator, a CECU Federal Regulatory Committee member, and a Career Education Review advisory board member. She has contributed to ACEN standards development to ensure they remain valid and reliable indicators of educational quality for ACEN-accredited programs worldwide and to AONL workforce

Research Interests:

Student complaints are an inherent part of operating nursing and healthcare education programs; however, when not managed effectively, they can escalate into significant regulatory, accreditation, and reputational risks. In highly regulated environments, complaints are not only reflections of the student experience but also critical indicators of institutional compliance, policy effectiveness, and program quality. This session examines the role of student complaints within the broader regulatory and accreditation landscape and provides practical strategies for managing complaints in a manner that supports both compliance and student-centered practices. Participants will explore how complaints are evaluated by accreditors and regulatory agencies, including how patterns, timeliness of response, and documentation practices may influence outcomes during reviews, audits, and site visits. Drawing on experience overseeing complaint processes across multi-campus, multi-state nursing and healthcare programs, this presentation will demonstrate how institutions can move beyond reactive complaint management toward proactive, systematic approaches. Topics will include centralizing complaint data, identifying and analyzing trends, aligning institutional processes with regulatory expectations, and integrating findings into continuous quality improvement efforts. The session will also address how institutions can balance responsiveness to students with regulatory defensibility, ensuring that actions are equitable, consistent, and well-documented. Through practical examples and actionable strategies, participants will gain tools to strengthen complaint processes, mitigate risk, and foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement that protects both students and institutional integrity.