A term which comes up especially in nursing with regard to nursing education programs. To be eligible for registration (to be able to become a registered nurse (RN)), a nurse must be a graduate of a program approved by the State Board of Nursing. The program, however, may or may not have been accredited by the National League of Nursing (NLN), the voluntary body which accredits professional and vocational schools of nursing, since state approval may not require meeting the standards set by NLN.