| (a) The program of study shall include both didactic
and clinical learning experiences and shall be:
(1) at least the equivalent of two (2) academic years
and shall not exceed four (4) calendar years;
(2) planned, implemented, and evaluated by the faculty;
(3) based on the philosophy/mission and objectives/outcomes;
(4) organized logically, sequenced appropriately;
(5) based on sound educational principles;
(6) designed to prepare graduates to practice according
to the Standards of Nursing Practice as set forth in the Board's Rules
and Regulations;
(7) 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
(8) 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 collegiate
study 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; and nursing
skills.
(3) Delivery of the curriculum through distance education
shall comply with the requirements of this section and §215.10
of this title (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/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) Clinical 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 to meet specific
learning objectives.
(4) 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 (1:3).
(d) Associate degree nursing education programs shall
develop formal articulation agreements to enable graduates to earn
a bachelor's degree in nursing in a timely manner.
(e) The program of study shall include, but not be
limited to, the following areas:
(1) non-nursing courses, clearly appropriate for collegiate
study, offered in a supportive sequence.
(2) nursing courses which include didactic and clinical
learning experiences in the five (5) content areas, medical-surgical,
geriatric, maternal/child health, pediatrics, and mental health nursing
that teach students to use a systematic approach to clinical decision-making
and prepare students to safely practice professional nursing through
the promotion, prevention, rehabilitation, maintenance, restoration
of health, and palliative and end-of-life care for individuals across
the lifespan.
(A) Course content shall be appropriate to the role
expectations of the graduate.
(B) Professional values including ethics, safety, diversity,
and confidentiality shall be addressed.
(C) The Nursing Practice Act, Standards of Nursing
Practice, Unprofessional Conduct Rules, Delegation Rules, and other
laws and regulations which pertain to various practice settings shall
be addressed.
(3) Nursing courses shall prepare students to recognize
and analyze patient, family, and environmental cues and use critical
thinking in making nursing clinical judgments.
(4) Baccalaureate and entry-level master's degree programs
in nursing shall include learning activities in basic research and
management/leadership, and didactic and clinical learning experiences
in community health 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 skills.
(g) The curriculum plan and course content shall be
appropriate to the role expectations of the graduate and 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.
(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 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 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 transition course(s), tracks/alternative
programs of study, including MEEP and 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) Professional 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 professional 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 §215.9 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 August 10, 2014, 39 TexReg 6047; amended to be effective August 9, 2018, 43 TexReg 5074 |
