Words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the
following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(1) Affidavit of Graduation--an official Board form
required in the initial licensure process that is signed by the approved
nursing program director/coordinator verifying that the applicant
has successfully completed all requirements for graduation from an
approved vocational nursing program that meets the requirements set
forth in §214.9 of this chapter (relating to Program of Study).
(2) Affiliating agency or clinical facility--a health
care facility or agency providing clinical learning experiences for
students.
(3) Alternative practice settings--settings providing
opportunities for clinical learning experiences, including those whose
primary function is not the delivery of health care.
(4) Approved vocational nursing education program--a
Board-approved vocational nursing education program that meets the
requirements set forth in §214.9 of this chapter and prepares
graduates to provide safe nursing care using concepts identified in
the Differentiated Essential Competencies (DECs).
(5) Articulation--a planned process between two (2)
or more educational systems to assist students in making a smooth
transition from one (1) level of education to another without duplication
in education.
(6) Board--the Texas Board of Nursing composed of members
appointed by the Governor for the State of Texas.
(7) CANEP (Compliance Audit for Nursing Education Programs)--a
document required by the Board to be submitted by the vocational nursing
education program's director/coordinator that serves as verification
of the program's adherence to the requirements of this chapter.
(8) Career school or college--an educational entity
as defined in Title 3, Texas Education Code, §132.001(1) as a
"career school or college".
(9) Classroom instruction hours--hours allocated to
didactic instruction and testing in nursing and non-nursing Board-required
courses and content.
(10) Clinical learning experiences--faculty-planned
and guided learning activities designed to assist students to meet
the stated program and course outcomes and to safely apply knowledge
and skills when providing nursing care to clients across the life
span as appropriate to the role expectations of the graduates. These
experiences occur in actual patient care clinical learning situations
and in associated clinical conferences; in nursing skills and computer
laboratories; and in simulated clinical settings, including high-fidelity,
where the activities involve using planned objectives in a realistic
patient scenario guided by trained faculty and followed by debriefing
and evaluation of student performance. The clinical settings for faculty-supervised
hands-on patient care include a variety of affiliating agencies or
clinical practice settings, including, but not limited to: acute care
and rehabilitation facilities; primary care settings; extended care
facilities (long-term care and nursing homes); residential care settings;
respite or day care facilities; community or public health agencies;
and other settings where actual patients receive nursing care.
(11) Clinical preceptor--a licensed nurse who meets
the requirements in §214.10(i)(6) of this chapter (relating to
Clinical Learning Experiences), who practices in the clinical setting,
and who directly supervises clinical learning experiences for no more
than two (2) students. A clinical preceptor assists in the evaluation
of the student during the experiences and in acclimating the student
to the role of nurse. A clinical preceptor facilitates student learning
in a manner prescribed by a signed written agreement between the governing
entity, preceptor, and affiliating agency (as applicable).
(12) Conceptual framework--theories or concepts giving
structure to the curriculum and guiding faculty in making decisions
about curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation.
(13) Correlated theory and clinical practice--didactic
and clinical experiences that have a reciprocal relationship or mutually
complement each other.
(14) Course--organized subject content and related
activities, that may include face-to-face and/or online didactic,
laboratory, and/or clinical experiences, planned to achieve specific
objectives within a given time period.
(15) Curriculum--course offerings which, in aggregate,
make up the total learning activities in a program of study.
(16) Declaratory Order of Eligibility--an order issued
by the Board pursuant to Texas Occupations Code §301.257, determining
the eligibility of an individual for initial licensure as a vocational
or registered nurse and setting forth both the basis for potential
ineligibility and the Board's determination of disclosed eligibility
issues.
(17) Differentiated Essential Competencies (DECs)--the
expected educational outcomes to be demonstrated by nursing students
at the time of graduation, as published in 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), 2021 (DECs).
(18) Director/coordinator--a registered nurse who is
accountable for administering a pre-licensure vocational nursing education
program, who meets the requirements as stated in §214.6(f) of
this chapter (relating to Administration and Organization), and is
approved by the Board.
(19) Examination year--the period beginning January
1 and ending December 31 used for the purpose of determining a vocational
nursing education program's annual NCLEX-PN® examination pass
rate.
(20) Extension site/campus--a location other than the
program's main campus where a portion or all of the curriculum is
provided.
(21) Faculty member--an individual employed to teach
in the vocational nursing education program who meets the requirements
as stated in §214.7 of this chapter (relating to Faculty).
(22) Faculty waiver--a waiver granted by a director
or coordinator of a vocational nursing education program to an individual
who meets the criteria specified in §214.7(e) of this chapter.
(23) Governing entity--the body with administrative
and operational authority over a Board-approved vocational nursing
education program.
(24) Health care professional--an individual other
than a licensed nurse who holds at least a bachelor's degree in the
health care field, including, but not limited to: a respiratory therapist,
physical therapist, occupational therapist, dietitian, pharmacist,
physician, social worker, and psychologist.
(25) MEEP (Multiple Entry-Exit Program)--an exit option
which is a part of a professional nursing education program designed
for students to complete course work and apply to take the NCLEX-PN®
examination after they have successfully met all requirements needed
for the examination.
(26) Mobility--the ability to advance without educational
barriers.
(27) NEPIS (Nursing Education Program Information Survey)--a
document required by the Board to be submitted by the vocational nursing
education program director/coordinator to provide annual workforce
data.
(28) Non-nursing faculty--instructors who teach non-nursing
content, such as pharmacology, pathophysiology, anatomy and physiology,
growth and development, and nutrition, and who have educational preparation
appropriate to the assigned teaching responsibilities.
(29) Nursing Clinical Judgment--the observed outcome
of critical thinking and decision-making that uses nursing knowledge
to observe and access presenting situations, identify a prioritized
client concern, and generate the best possible evidence-based solutions
in order to deliver safe client care. It is a decision-making model
that is consistent with the nursing process model where the nurse
determines and implements nursing interventions based on recognizing
and analyzing patient cues (assessment and analysis), prioritizing
hypotheses and generating solutions (planning), taking action (implementation),
and evaluating outcomes.
(30) Objectives/Outcomes--expected student behaviors
that are attainable and measurable.
(A) Program Objectives/Outcomes--broad statements describing
student learning outcomes achieved upon graduation.
(B) Clinical Objectives/Outcomes--expected student
behaviors for clinical learning experiences that provide evidence
of progression of students' cognitive, affective, and psychomotor
achievement in clinical practice across the curriculum.
Cont'd... |
