| (a) New Programs.
(1) New vocational nursing education programs must
be approved by the Board in order to operate in the State of Texas.
The Board has established guidelines for the initial approval of vocational
nursing education programs.
(2) Proposal to establish a new vocational nursing
education program.
(A) An educational unit in nursing within the structure
of a school, including a college, university, or career school or
college, or a hospital or military setting is eligible to submit a
proposal to establish a new vocational nursing education program.
(B) The new vocational nursing education program must
be approved/licensed or deemed exempt by the appropriate Texas agency,
the THECB or the TWC, as applicable, before approval can be granted
by the Board for the program to be implemented. The proposal to establish
a new vocational nursing education program may be submitted to the
Board at the same time that an application is submitted to the THECB
or the TWC, but the proposal cannot be approved by the Board until
such time as the proposed program is approved by the THECB or the
TWC. If the governing entity has nursing programs in other jurisdictions,
the submitted program proposal must include evidence that the nursing
program's NCLEX-PN® pass rates are at least 80% for the current
examination year, as that term is defined in §214.2(19) of this
chapter (relating to Definitions), and that the nursing programs hold
full approval from the state boards of nursing in the other states
and are in good standing. Evidence of poor performance by a governing
entity's nursing program in another jurisdiction is sufficient grounds
for denial of a proposal. Additionally, a proposal will be denied
by the Board in accordance with governing statutory requirements.
(C) The process to establish a new vocational nursing
education program shall be initiated by a letter of intent from the
governing entity to the Board office. A program proposal must be ready
for the Board's consideration of approval within one (1) year from
the date of receipt of the initial proposal draft in the Board's office.
If the proposal is not ready for the Board's consideration within
this time period, the proposal will be considered withdrawn or will
be presented to the Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting,
with a Staff recommendation of denial/disapproval.
(D) The individual writing the proposal for a new vocational
nursing education program shall be the proposed director and shall
meet the qualifications for the program director as specified in §214.6(f)
of this chapter (relating to Administration and Organization).
(E) At least one (1) potential faculty member shall
be identified before the curriculum development to assist in planning
the program of study.
(F) The proposal shall include information outlined
in Board Education Guideline 3.1.1. available at https://www.bon.texas.gov.
(G) After the proposal is submitted and determined
to be complete, a preliminary survey visit may be conducted by Board
Staff.
(H) The proposal shall be considered by the Board following
a public hearing at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board. The
Board may approve the proposal and grant initial approval to the new
program, may defer action on the proposal, or may deny further consideration
of the proposal. In order to ensure success of newly approved programs,
the Board may, in its discretion, impose any restrictions or conditions
it deems appropriate and necessary.
(i) In addition to imposing restrictions and conditions,
the Board may also require specific monitoring of newly approved programs
that may be high-risk.
(ii) A program may be considered high-risk if it meets
one or more of the following criteria, including, but not limited
to: unfamiliarity of the governing entity with nursing education;
inexperience of the potential director or coordinator in directing
a nursing program; potential for director or faculty turnover; multiple
admission cycles per year; lack of rigor in admission criteria; use
of a national curriculum; or potential for a high attrition rate among
students. If the director has no experience in the director role,
an appropriate mentor will be required to assist the director during
the first year of operation.
(iii) Board monitoring of a high-risk program may include
the review and analysis of program reports; extended communication
with program directors; and additional survey visits. A monitoring
plan may require the submission of quarterly reports of students'
performance in courses and clinical learning experiences; remediation
strategies and attrition rates; and reports from an assigned mentor
to the program director. Additional survey visits by a Board representative
may be conducted at appropriate intervals to evaluate the status of
the program. The Board may alter a monitoring plan as necessary to
address the specific needs of a particular program.
(I) The program shall not enroll students until the
Board approves the proposal and grants initial approval.
(J) Prior to presentation of the proposal to the Board,
evidence of approval from the appropriate regulatory agencies shall
be provided.
(K) When the proposal is submitted, an initial approval
fee shall be assessed per §223.1 of this title (relating to Fees).
(L) A proposal without action for one (1) calendar
year shall be considered withdrawn, and a new proposal application
and fee, as set forth in §223.1 of this title (relating to Fees)
will be required to begin the new proposal process again.
(M) If the Board denies a proposal, the educational
unit in nursing within the structure of a school, including a college,
university, or career school or college, or a hospital or military
setting must wait a minimum of twelve (12) calendar months from the
date of the denial before submitting a new proposal to establish a
vocational nursing education program.
(3) Survey visits shall be conducted, as necessary,
by staff until full approval status is granted.
(b) Extension Site/Campus.
(1) Only vocational nursing education programs that
have full approval with a current NCLEX-PN® examination pass rate
of 80% or better and are in compliance with Board rules are eligible
to initiate or modify an extension site/campus.
(2) Instruction provided for the extension site/campus
may include a variety of instructional methods, shall be consistent
with the main campus program's current curriculum, and shall enable
students to meet the goals, objectives, and competencies of the vocational
nursing education program and requirements of the Board as stated
in §§214.1 - 214.13 of this chapter (relating to Vocational
Nursing Education).
(3) An approved vocational nursing education program
desiring to establish an extension site/campus that is consistent
with the main campus program's current curriculum and teaching resources
shall comply with Board Education Guideline 3.1.5 available at https://www.bon.texas.gov
and:
(A) Complete and submit an application form for approval
of the extension site to Board Staff at least four (4) months prior
to implementation of the extension site/campus; and
(B) Provide information in the application form that
evidences:
(i) a strong rationale for the establishment of the
extension site in the community;
(ii) availability of a qualified coordinator, if applicable,
and qualified faculty;
(iii) adequate educational resources (classrooms, labs,
and equipment);
(iv) documentation of communication and collaboration
with other programs within fifty (50) miles of the extension site;
(v) currently signed contracts from clinical affiliating
agencies to provide clinical practice settings for students;
(vi) projected student enrollments for the first two
(2) years;
(vii) plans for quality instruction;
(viii) a planned schedule for class and clinical learning
activities for one (1) year; and
(ix) notification or approval from the governing entity
and from other regulatory/accrediting agencies, as required. This
includes regional approval of out-of-service extension sites for community
colleges.
(4) When the curriculum of the extension site/campus
deviates from the original program in any way, the proposed extension
is viewed as a new program and Board Education Guideline 3.1.1 available
at https://www.bon.texas.gov applies.
(5) Extension programs of vocational nursing education
programs that have been closed may be reactivated by submitting notification
of reactivation to the Board at least four (4) months prior to reactivation,
using Board Education Guideline 3.1.5 available at https://www.bon.texas.gov.
(6) A program intending to close an extension site/campus
shall:
(A) Notify the Board office at least four (4) months
prior to closure of the extension site/campus; and
Cont'd... |
