| (a) The program of study shall include both didactic
and clinical learning experiences and shall be:
(1) at least the equivalent of one (1) academic year
and shall not exceed two (2) calendar years;
(2) planned, implemented, and evaluated by the faculty;
(3) based on the philosophy/mission and objectives/outcomes.
(4) organized by subject and content to meet the needs
of the program;
(5) scheduled with the placement of courses or course
content throughout the entire length of the program;
(6) based on sound educational principles;
(7) designed to prepare graduates to practice according
to the Standards of Nursing Practice as set forth in the Board's rules;
(8) designed and implemented to prepare students to
demonstrate the Differentiated Essential Competencies of Graduates
of Texas Nursing Programs Evidenced by Knowledge, Clinical Judgment,
and Behaviors: Vocational (VN), Diploma/Associate Degree (Diploma/ADN),
Baccalaureate Degree (BSN), October 2010 (DECs); and
(9) designed to teach students to use a systematic
approach to clinical decision making and safe patient care.
(b) The faculty shall be responsible for the development,
implementation, and evaluation of the curriculum based upon the following
guidelines:
(1) There shall be a reasonable balance between non-nursing
courses and nursing courses that are clearly appropriate for the study
of vocational nursing and are offered in a supportive sequence based
upon the rationale for the curriculum.
(2) Instruction shall be provided in nursing roles;
biological, physical, social, behavioral, and nursing sciences, including
body structure and function, microbiology, pharmacology, nutrition,
signs of emotional health, human growth and development, vocational
nursing scope of practice, and nursing skills. Courses may be integrated
or separate.
(3) Delivery of the curriculum through distance education
shall comply with the requirements of this section and §214.10
of this chapter (relating to Clinical Learning Experiences) to ensure
that students receive comparable curriculum, supervised clinical learning
experiences, and formative and summative evaluations. Faculty must
have documented competencies specific to online education.
(c) Instruction shall include, but not be limited to:
organized student/faculty interactive learning activities, formal
lecture, audiovisual presentations, nursing skills laboratory instruction
and demonstration, simulated laboratory instruction, and faculty-supervised,
hands-on patient care clinical learning experiences.
(1) Classroom instruction hours shall include actual
hours of classroom instruction in nursing and non-nursing Board-required
courses and content.
(2) Laboratory activities/instruction in the nursing
skills or simulation laboratory may be considered as either classroom
instruction hours or clinical learning experience hours.
(3) Hours in clinical learning experiences shall be
sufficient to meet program of study requirements. There shall be a
rationale for the ratio of contact hours assigned to classroom and
clinical learning experiences. The suggested ratio is one (1) contact
hour of didactic to three (3) contact hours of related clinical learning
experiences.
(4) Clinical practice learning experiences shall include
actual hours of practice in nursing skills and computer laboratories;
simulated clinical experiences; faculty supervised hands-on clinical
care; clinical conferences; debriefing; and observation experiences.
Observation experiences provide supplemental learning experiences
that meet specific learning objectives.
(5) The total weekly schedule throughout the length
of the program shall not exceed forty (40) hours per week, including
both classroom instruction and clinical practice hours.
(6) Students shall be assigned two (2) consecutive
non-class/clinical days off each week.
(7) Students shall be allocated at least eighteen (18)
days leave for vacation and/or holidays.
(8) All scheduled holidays are to be observed on the
holidays designated by the governing entity.
(9) Vacation time shall be scheduled at the same time
for all students.
(d) Educational mobility shall be a consideration in
curriculum design.
(e) The program of study shall include, but not be
limited to, the five (5) areas described as follows. Faculty-supervised,
hands-on patient care clinical learning experiences in acute and non-acute
settings may include long-term care, rehabilitation settings, clinics,
respite or day care settings, or other settings where the clinical
objectives can be met.
(1) Nursing Care of Children. Content includes:
(A) Common health problems of children and implications
for nursing care.
(B) Care and needs of infants and children.
(C) Growth and development from infancy through adolescence.
(D) Influences of the family.
(E) Examples of clinical settings may include, but
are not limited to: day care settings, clinics, settings providing
care to infants, and facilities providing care to sick children.
(2) Maternity Nursing. Content includes:
(A) Psychological and physiological aspects of pregnancy,
labor, and post-partum care.
(B) Nursing care to assist mothers in the care of their
newborn infants.
(C) Examples of clinical experiences may include, but
are not limited to: maternity clinics, units providing care for maternity
patients, and newborn nurseries.
(3) Nursing Care of the Aged. Content includes:
(A) Physical, psychological, and cognitive changes
associated with the aging process.
(B) Implications of aging in planning nursing care.
(C) Nursing care of individuals experiencing common
health problems associated with aging.
(D) Palliative and end-of-life care.
(E) Examples of clinical experiences may include, but
are not limited to: long-term care and rehabilitation settings, acute
care units serving adult clients of all ages, clinics, elderly respite
or day care settings, nursing homes, and assisted living settings.
(4) Nursing Care of Adults. Content includes:
(A) Common health problems of adults and implications
for nursing care.
(B) Physical, psychological, and spiritual components
of health and disease.
(C) External influences on adult health including the
family and community resources.
(D) Role of the nurse in preventive, therapeutic, and
rehabilitation settings.
(E) Clinical experiences may include, but are not limited
to: acute care settings (long and short term), clinics, and rehabilitation
settings.
(5) Nursing Care of Individuals with Mental Health
Problems. Content includes:
(A) Personality development, human needs, common mental
defense mechanisms, and factors influencing mental health and mental
illness.
(B) Common mental disorders and related therapy.
(C) Role of the nurse in promoting mental health.
(D) Clinical experiences: experiences are optional
in psychiatric nursing.
(f) The selection and organization of the learning
experiences in the curriculum shall provide continuity, sequence,
and integration of learning.
(1) The learning experiences shall provide for progressive
development of values, knowledge, judgment, and skills.
(2) Didactic learning experiences shall be provided
either prior to or concurrent (at the same time) with the related
clinical learning experiences.
(3) Clinical learning experiences shall be sufficient
in quantity and quality to provide opportunities for students to achieve
the stated outcomes.
(4) Students shall have sufficient opportunities in
simulated or clinical settings to develop technical skills, using
contemporary technologies, essential for safe, effective nursing practice.
(5) Learning opportunities shall assist students to
develop communication and interpersonal relationship skills.
(g) Course content shall be appropriate to the role
expectations of the graduate.
(1) Professional values, including ethics, safety,
diversity, and confidentiality shall be addressed.
(2) The Nursing Practice Act, Standards of Nursing
Practice, Unprofessional Conduct Rules, and other laws and regulations
which pertain to various practice settings shall be addressed.
(3) The curriculum plan, including course outlines,
shall be kept current and available to faculty and Board representatives.
(h) Faculty shall develop and implement evaluation
methods and tools to measure progression of students' cognitive, affective,
and psychomotor achievements in course/clinical objectives, according
to Board Education Guideline 3.7.3.a. Student Evaluation Methods and
Tools. Board Education Guideline 3.7.4.a. Using Standardized Examinations
outlines the effective use of standardized examinations as an evaluation
of student progress.
(1) A system of grading shall be in place which does
not allow grades of less than a "C" on any required subject areas
in the program of study.
(2) A program may develop admission policies to allow
students to challenge course content the student may have previously
completed that meets the program's course objectives/outcomes.
(i) Curriculum changes shall be developed by the faculty
according to Board standards and shall include information outlined
in the Board Education Guideline 3.7.1.a. Proposals for Curriculum
Changes. The two (2) types of curriculum changes are:
(1) Minor curriculum changes not requiring prior Board
staff approval, which may include:
(A) Editorial updates of philosophy/mission and objectives/outcomes;
or
(B) Redistribution of course content or course hours;
and
(2) Major curriculum changes requiring Board staff
approval prior to implementation, which may include:
(A) Changes in program philosophy/mission and objectives/outcomes
which result in a reorganization or re-conceptualization of the entire
curriculum, including but not limited to, changing from a block to
an integrated curriculum or changing the approved delivery method
of the curriculum to methods consistent with distance education/learning;
(B) The addition of tracks or alternate programs of
study, including advanced placement or Dual-Credit High School programs
that provide educational mobility;
(C) Revisions in program hours; and
(D) Addition/reduction of course(s) in the program
of study.
(j) Documentation of governing entity approval and
appropriate approval from either the TWC or the THECB, if approved/licensed
by the TWC or the THECB, must be provided to the Board prior to implementation
of changes, as appropriate.
(k) Vocational nursing education programs planning
major curriculum changes shall submit a curriculum change proposal,
as outlined in Board Education Guideline 3.7.1.a., to the Board office
for approval at least four (4) months prior to implementation.
(l) All vocational nursing education programs implementing
any curriculum change shall submit to Board Staff an evaluation of
the outcomes of the implemented curriculum change through the first
graduating class under the new curriculum.
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| Source Note: The provisions of this §214.9 adopted to be effective February 13, 2005, 30 TexReg 545; amended to be effective July 10, 2005, 30 TexReg 3996; amended to be effective October 19, 2008, 33 TexReg 8501; amended to be effective December 27, 2010, 35 TexReg 11662; amended to be effective October 21, 2012, 37 TexReg 8294; amended to be effective August 10, 2014, 39 TexReg 6046; amended to be effective February 28, 2018, 43 TexReg 1095; amended to be effective May 8, 2018, 43 TexReg 2779; amended to be effective August 9, 2018, 43 TexReg 5072 |
