(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms
have the following meanings:
(1) Advanced Health Assessment Course--a course that
offers content supported by related clinical experience such that
students gain the knowledge and skills needed to perform comprehensive
assessments to acquire data, make diagnoses of health status, and
formulate effective clinical management plans. Content must include
assessment of all human systems, advanced assessment techniques, concepts,
and approaches.
(2) Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics Course--a course
that offers content in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, pharmacotherapeutics
of all broad categories of agents, and the application of drug therapy
to the treatment of disease and/or the promotion of health.
(3) Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Course-
a comprehensive, system-focused pathology course that provides students
with the knowledge and skills to analyze the relationship between
normal physiology and pathological phenomena produced by altered states
across the life span.
(4) Role preparation--formal didactic and clinical
experiences/content that prepares nurses to function in an APRN role.
(5) Clinical major courses--courses that include didactic
content and offer clinical experiences in a specific population focus
area.
(6) Practicum/Preceptorship/Internship/Residency/Fellowship--a
designated portion of a formal APRN education program that is offered
in a health care setting and affords students the opportunity to integrate
theory and role in both the APRN role and population focus area through
direct patient care/client management. Practicums/Preceptorships/Internships/Residencies/Fellowships
are planned and monitored by either a designated faculty member or
qualified preceptor.
(b) In order to be eligible to apply for licensure
as an APRN, the registered nurse must have completed a post-basic
advanced educational program of study appropriate for practice in
an APRN role and population focus area recognized by the Board. RN
to BSN programs shall not be considered post-basic programs for the
purpose of this rule.
(c) Individuals prepared in more than one APRN role
and/or population focus area (including blended role or dual specialty
programs) shall be considered to have completed separate APRN education
programs of study for each role and/or population focus area.
(d) Applicants for licensure in an APRN role and population
focus area recognized by the Board must submit verification of completion
of all requirements of an advanced educational program that meets
the following criteria:
(1) Graduation from an APRN graduate or post-graduate
program as evidenced by official documentation received directly from
an APRN education program accredited by a nursing accrediting body
that is recognized by the Board and the U.S. Secretary of Education
and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or its
successor organization, as recognized by the Board. Programs may be
approved by the appropriate licensing body in the state in which the
program is located. A state licensing body's accreditation process
must meet or exceed the requirements of accrediting bodies specified
in Board policy.
(2) Programs of study shall be at least one academic
year in length and shall include a formal preceptorship. One academic
year in length shall be evaluated based on the equivalent of a full
time academic load.
(3) Graduates of APRN education programs who were prepared
for two population foci or two different APRN roles shall demonstrate
that they have completed didactic content and clinical experience
in both functional roles and population foci.
(e) Applicants for licensure as clinical nurse specialists
must submit verification of the following requirements, in addition
to meeting other APRN requirements for licensure:
(1) completion of a minimum of a master's degree in
the discipline of nursing, and
(2) completion of a minimum of nine semester credit
hours or the equivalent in a specific clinical major. Clinical major
courses must include didactic content and clinical experiences in
the clinical nurse specialist role in a specific population focus
area. Courses in advanced health assessment, advanced physiology and
pathophysiology, and advanced pharmacotherapeutics cannot be counted
toward meeting the nine semester credit hour requirement.
(f) Applicants for APRN licensure shall provide evidence
of completion of an APRN education program that prepared the graduate
to practice in one of the four APRN roles and at least one of the
population foci recognized by the Board. The curriculum shall include:
(1) Three separate, dedicated graduate level courses
in:
(A) Advanced health assessment that includes assessment
of all human systems, advanced assessment techniques, concepts and
approaches;
(B) Advanced pharmacology that includes pharmacodynamics,
pharmacokinetics, and pharmacotherapeutics of all broad categories
of agents; and
(C) Advanced physiology and pathophysiology, including
general principles that apply across the lifespan;
(2) Diagnosis and management of diseases and conditions
across practice settings, including diseases representative of all
systems appropriate to the role and population focus area of licensure;
(3) Preparation that provides a basic understanding
of the principles for decision making in the identified role;
(4) Preparation in the core competencies for the identified
APRN role;
(5) Role preparation in one identified population focus
area of practice; and
(6) APRN core content including legal, ethical, and
professional responsibilities of the APRN.
(g) The curriculum shall be consistent with competencies
of the specific areas of practice.
(h) Graduates of APRN education programs who were prepared
for two population foci or completed APRN role preparation in more
than one role within the same program shall provide such evidence
as is required for Board staff to verify that the program included
sufficient content and clinical experience to practice the full scope
of practice of both functional roles and population foci.
(i) Each instructional track/major shall have a minimum
of 500 supervised clinical hours as defined by the Board. The supervised
experience shall have been directly related to the role and population
focus area of licensure and include pharmacotherapeutic management
of patients.
(j) Evidence of recognition of prior learning and advanced
placements in the curriculum for individuals who hold a master's degree
in nursing and are seeking preparation in a different role and/or
population focus area through post-graduate preparation must be provided
to the Board for review. Evidence shall be provided demonstrating
that the post-master's nursing student completed the requirements
of the master's APRN program through a formal graduate level certificate
in the desired role and population focus area. Post-master students
must demonstrate they have met the same APRN outcome competencies
as master level students in the full scope of the role and population
focus area.
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Source Note: The provisions of this §221.3 adopted to be effective February 25, 2001, 26 TexReg 1509; amended to be effective January 2, 2006, 30 TexReg 8881; amended to be effective June 29, 2010, 35 TexReg 5561; amended to be effective February 27, 2019, 44 TexReg 833 |