1. Program Director
a. The program director shall have a current
unencumbered registered nurse license to practice in Arkansas and be employed
full time.
b. The practical nursing
program director shall have a minimum of a baccalaureate degree in nursing.
Directors appointed prior to January 1, 2004, shall be exempt for the duration
of their current position.
c. The
baccalaureate, diploma or associate degree program director shall have a
minimum of a master's degree in nursing.
d. The master's degree program director shall
have a graduate degree with a major in nursing and is doctorally prepared
e. The program director shall have
previous experience in clinical nursing practice and/or education.
f. The program director's primary
responsibility and authority shall be to administer the nursing program.
(1) The program director shall be accountable
for program administration, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
(2) Adequate time shall be allowed for
relevant administrative duties and responsibilities,
g. The program director shall verify the
applicant has completed the program.
2. Faculty and Assistant Clinical Instructors
a. Faculty shall hold a current unencumbered
registered nurse license to practice in Arkansas.
b. Faculty shall have had at least two years
previous experience in clinical nursing at or above the education program
level.
c. Faculty teaching in a
masters, baccalaureate, diploma, associate degree, or practical nurse program
shall have a degree or diploma above the type of education program
offered.
d. Nurses serving as
assistant clinical instructors in a masters, baccalaureate, diploma, associate
degree, or practical nurse program shall have a degree or diploma at or above
the type of education program offered.
e. Assistant clinical instructors shall:
(1) Be under the direction of
faculty;
(2) Hold a current
unencumbered license to practice in Arkansas; and
(3) Have a minimum of two years experience in
the clinical area.
f.
All faculty shall maintain education and clinical competencies in areas of
instructional responsibilities.
g.
Non-nurse faculty shall meet the requirements of the parent
institution.
h. Faculty shall be
organized with written policies, procedures, and, if appropriate, standing
committees.
i. Nursing faculty
policies shall be consistent with parent institutional policies.
j. Program specific policies shall be
developed by nursing faculty.
k. A
planned program specific orientation for new faculty shall be in writing and
implemented.
l. Consideration shall
be given to safety, patient acuity, and the clinical area in determining the
necessary faculty to student ratio for clinical experiences. The faculty to
student ratio in clinical experiences shall be:
(1) In the acute care setting where students
are providing direct patient care the ratio is one faculty member to eight
students (1:8).
(2) In the
non-acute care setting where students are providing direct patient care the
ratio is one faculty member to ten students (1:10).
(3) In the community setting where the
students have indirect or direct patient care with a community partner the
ratio is one faculty member to fifteen students (1:15).
m. The minimum number of faculty shall be one
(1) full-time member in addition to the director,
n. Faculty meetings shall be regularly
scheduled and held. Minutes shall be maintained in writing,
o. Faculty members shall participate in
program activities as per policies and procedures.