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TITLE 22EXAMINING BOARDS
PART 11TEXAS BOARD OF NURSING
CHAPTER 215PROFESSIONAL NURSING EDUCATION
RULE §215.2Definitions

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 dean/director verifying that the applicant has successfully completed all requirements for graduation from an approved professional nursing program that meets the requirements set forth in §215.9 of this title (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 professional nursing education program--a Board-approved professional nursing education program that meets the requirements set forth in §215.9 of this title 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 professional nursing education program's dean/director 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 registered nurse who meets the requirements in §215.10(j)(6) of this title (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) Clinical teaching assistant--a registered nurse licensed in Texas, who is employed to assist in the clinical area and work under the supervision of a Master's or Doctoral prepared nursing faculty member and who meets the requirements of §215.10(j)(8) of this title.

  (13) Conceptual framework--theories or concepts giving structure to the curriculum and guiding faculty in making decisions about curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation.

  (14) Correlated theory and clinical practice--didactic and clinical experiences that have a reciprocal relationship or mutually complement each other.

  (15) 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.

  (16) Curriculum--course offerings, which in aggregate, make up the total learning activities in a program of study.

  (17) Dean/director--a registered nurse who is accountable for administering a professional nursing education program, who meets the requirements as stated in §215.6(f) of this title (relating to Administration and Organization), and is approved by the Board.

  (18) 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.

  (19) 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) .

  (20) Examination year--the period beginning January 1 and ending December 31 used for the purposes of determining a professional nursing education program's annual NCLEX-RN® examination pass rate.

  (21) Extension site/campus--a location other than the program's main campus where a portion or all of the curriculum is provided.

  (22) Faculty member--an individual employed to teach in the professional nursing education program who meets the requirements as stated in §215.7 of this title (relating to Faculty).

  (23) Faculty waiver--a waiver granted by a dean or director of a professional nursing education program to an individual who meets the criteria specified in §215.7(e) of this title.

  (24) Governing entity--the body with administrative and operational authority over a Board-approved professional nursing education program.

  (25) Health care professional--an individual other than a registered 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.

  (26) 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.

  (27) Mobility--the ability to advance without educational barriers.

  (28) NEPIS (Nursing Education Program Information Survey)--a document required by the Board to be submitted by the professional nursing education program dean/director to provide annual workforce data.

  (29) Non-nursing faculty--instructors who teach non-nursing content, such as pharmacology, pathophysiology, research, management and statistics, and who have educational preparation appropriate to the assigned teaching responsibilities.

  (30) 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 intervention based on recognizing and analyzing patient cues (assessment and analysis), prioritizing hypotheses and generating solutions (planning), taking action (implementation), and evaluating outcomes.

  (31) 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...

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