| (a) The number of students admitted to the program
shall be determined by the number of qualified faculty, adequate educational
facilities and resources, and the availability of appropriate clinical
learning experiences for students.
(b) A program must seek approval prior to an increase
in enrollment of twenty-five percent (25%) or greater by headcount
in one (1) academic year for each nursing program offered. The program
must notify Board Staff four (4) months prior to the anticipated increase
in enrollment. The Executive Director shall have the authority to
approve an increase in enrollment on behalf of the Board. When determining
whether to approve a request for an increase in enrollment under this
rule, the Executive Director and/or the Board shall consider:
(1) the comparison of previous to projected nursing
program enrollment by headcount;
(2) enrollment projections and enrollment management
plan;
(3) the effect of the change of enrollment on faculty
workload;
(4) clinical placement/utilization;
(5) additional resources required by the enrollment
increase; and
(6) the program's plan to evaluate the effect of the
enrollment increase on the program's success.
(c) Individuals enrolled in approved professional nursing
education programs preparing students for licensure shall be provided
verbal and written information regarding conditions that may disqualify
graduates from licensure and of their rights to petition the Board
for a Declaratory Order of Eligibility. Required eligibility information
includes:
(1) Texas Occupations Code §§301.252, 301.257,
and 301.452 - 301.469; and
(2) Sections 213.27 - 213.30 of this title (relating
to Good Professional Character, Licensure of Individuals with Criminal
History, Fitness to Practice, and Declaratory Order of Eligibility
for Licensure).
(d) The program shall have a Nursing Student Handbook
with well-defined, written nursing student policies based upon statutory
and Board requirements, including nursing student admission, dismissal,
progression, graduation policies, and policies to ensure students
fulfill requirements for obtaining criminal history record information
as set forth in the Occupations Code §301.257. Processes shall
be in place for policy development, implementation, and enforcement.
(1) Student policies shall be in accordance with the
requirements of all applicable federal and state agencies.
(2) Nursing student policies which differ from those
of the governing entity shall be in writing and shall be made available
to faculty and students.
(e) Reasons for dismissal from the program shall be
clearly stated in written nursing student policies and shall address:
(1) behavior evidencing actual or potential harm to
patients, clients, or the public;
(2) criminal behavior that could affect licensure,
as set forth in §213.28 (relating to Licensure of Individuals
with Criminal History) of this title;
(3) current fitness to practice nursing, as set forth
in §213.29 (relating to Fitness to Practice) of this title; and
(4) good professional character, as set forth in §213.27
(relating to Good Professional Character) of this title.
(f) Policies shall facilitate mobility/articulation,
be consistent with acceptable educational standards, and be available
to students and faculty.
(g) Student policies shall be furnished manually or
electronically to all students at the beginning of the students' enrollment
in the professional nursing education program.
(1) The program shall maintain a signed receipt of
student policies in all students' records.
(2) The program shall maintain evidence of student
receipt of the Board's license eligibility information as specifically
outlined in subsection (c) of this section.
(3) It is the responsibility of the program and the
nursing faculty to define and enforce nursing student policies.
(h) Acceptance of transfer students and evaluation
of allowable credit for advanced placement remains at the discretion
of the dean or director of the program and the governing entity. Upon
completing the program's requirements, the transferred student is
considered to be a graduate of the program.
(i) Students shall have mechanisms for input into the
development of academic policies and procedures, curriculum planning,
and evaluation of teaching effectiveness.
(j) Students shall have the opportunity to evaluate
faculty, courses, and learning resources and these evaluations shall
be documented.
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| Source Note: The provisions of this §215.8 adopted to be effective January 9, 2005, 29 TexReg 12190; amended to be effective October 19, 2008, 33 TexReg 8509; amended to be effective December 27, 2010, 35 TexReg 11668; amended to be effective October 23, 2012, 37 TexReg 8304; amended to be effective April 19, 2016, 41 TexReg 2753; amended to be effective August 9, 2018, 43 TexReg 5074 |
