Organization or Administration Standards for Prelicensure
Registered Nurse and Practical Nurse Programs. To be eligible for approval by
the board, a program shall have:
(1) A
governing institution.
(a) The governing
institution that establishes and conducts the program of nursing shall hold
accreditation as a postsecondary institution, college, or university by an
accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
(b) The governing institution shall assume
full legal responsibility for the overall conduct of the program of nursing.
The program of nursing shall have comparable status with the other programs in
the governing institution and the relationship shall be clearly
delineated.
(c) The governing
institution shall:
1. Designate a program
administrator for the prelicensure program of nursing who is qualified pursuant
to
201 KAR 20:310 and is responsible
for fulfilling the duties specified in subsection (3) of this section on a
twelve (12) month basis;
2. Assure
that at least fifty (50) percent of the program administrator's time shall be
dedicated to complete the duties specified in this administrative regulation at
each program of nursing. A governing institution that is unable to comply with
this standard may request an exemption from the board in writing.
a. The request shall state the reasons for
noncompliance and the efforts the institution has taken and will take to comply
with the standard.
b. If the
exemption is granted, it shall be for twelve (12) months from the date of board
approval. During this time, the governing institution shall not open a new
program of nursing;
3.
Provide evidence that the fiscal, human, physical, clinical, and technical
learning resources shall be adequate to support program mission, processes,
security, and outcomes;
4. Provide
student support programs, services, and activities consistent with the mission
of the governing institution that promote student learning and enhance the
development of the student;
5. Make
financial resources available to the program of nursing consistent with
equivalent programs at the governing institution;
6. Employ nurse faculty pursuant to
201 KAR 20:310 in sufficient
number and expertise to accomplish program outcomes and quality
improvement;
7. Provide written
policies for faculty related to qualifications for the position, rights and
responsibilities of the position, criteria for evaluation of performance,
workload, and retention;
8. Involve
the nurse faculty in determining academic policies and practices for the
program of nursing; and
9. Provide
for the security, confidentiality, and integrity of faculty employment and
student records.
(d) The
governing institution shall provide an organizational chart that describes the
organization of the program of nursing and its relationship to the governing
institution;
(2)
Administrative policies.
(a) There shall be
written administrative policies for the program of nursing that shall be:
1. In accord with those of the governing
institution; and
2. Available to
the board for review.
(b) The board shall be notified in writing of
a change, vacancy, or pending vacancy, in the position of the program
administrator within thirty (30) days of the program of nursing's awareness of
the change, vacancy, or pending vacancy.
1.
The head of the governing institution shall submit to the board in writing the
name of the registered nurse who has been designated to assume the
administrative duties for the program, the date the person will assume the
duties of program administrator, and a copy of his or her curriculum
vitae.
2.
a. If there is to be a lapse between the date
of the change or vacancy and the date the newly-appointed program administrator
assumes duties, the head of the governing institution shall submit a plan of
transition to ensure the continuity of the program.
b. Progress reports shall be submitted if
requested by the board.
3.
a. The
length of the appointment of an interim program administrator shall not exceed
six (6) months.
b. Additional six
(6) month periods may be granted upon request to the board based on a
documented inability to fill the position.
(c) A written plan for the orientation of the
nurse faculty to the governing institution and to the program shall be
implemented.
(d) There shall be a
written contract between the governing institution and each agency or
institution that provides a learning experience for a student. A contract shall
not be required for an observational experience.
1. The contract shall clearly identify the
responsibilities and privileges of both parties.
2. The contract shall bear the signature of
the administrative authorities of each organization.
3. The contract shall vest in the nurse
faculty control of the student learning experiences subject to policies of the
contractual parties.
4. The
contract shall be current and may include an annual automatic renewal
clause.
5. The contract shall
contain a termination clause by either party;
(3) A program or an interim program
administrator who shall have authority and responsibility in the following
areas:
(a) Development and maintenance of
collaborative relationships with the administration of the institution, other
divisions or departments within the institution, related facilities, and the
community;
(b) Participation in the
preparation and management of the program of nursing budget;
(c) Screening and recommendation of
candidates for nurse faculty appointment, retention, and promotion;
(d) Submission of the qualifications of all
nurse faculty and clinical instructors as set forth in
201 KAR 20:310, Section
4;
(e) To provide leadership within
the nurse faculty for the development, implementation, and evaluation of the
program of nursing and program outcomes;
(f) To facilitate the implementation of
written program policies for the following:
1.
Student admission;
2. Student
readmission and advance standing;
3. Student progression, which shall include:
a. The level of achievement a student shall
maintain in order to remain in the program or to progress from one (1) level to
another; and
b. Requirements for
satisfactory completion of each course in the nursing curriculum.
4. Requirements for completion of
the program;
5. Delineation of
responsibility for student safety in health related incidents both on campus
and at any clinical activity required by the program of nursing;
6. Availability of student guidance and
counseling services;
7. The process
for the filing of grievances and appeals by students;
8. Periodic evaluation by the nurse faculty
of each nursing student's progress in each course and in the program;
9. Student conduct that incorporates the
standards of safe nursing care; and
10. Publication and access to current
academic calendars and class schedules;
(g) To facilitate the continuing academic and
professional development for the nurse faculty;
(h)
1. To
initiate and coordinate the development of contracts with clinical facilities,
the number and variety of which shall be adequate to meet curricular
outcomes;
2. To develop written
criteria for the selection and evaluation of clinical facilities and ensure
that the criteria shall be utilized by the program of nursing; and
3. To assure that clinical facilities show
evidence of approval by the appropriate accreditation, evaluation, or licensure
bodies, if applicable;
(i) The establishment of student-nurse
faculty ratio in the clinical practice experience.
1. The maximum ratio of nurse faculty to
students in the clinical area of patients-clients shall be defensible in light
of safety, learning objectives, student level, and patient acuity.
2. The student-nurse faculty ratio shall not
exceed ten (10) to one (1) in the clinical practice experience, including
observational or other supervised learning experiences.
3. This ratio shall not apply to on campus
skill lab experiences;
(j) The submission of the Certified List of
Kentucky Program of Nursing Graduates, as incorporated by reference in
201 KAR 20:070, upon student
completion of all requirements for a degree, diploma, or certificate,
regardless of the state in which the graduate intends to seek
licensure;
(k) The development and
maintenance of an environment conducive to the teaching and learning
process;
(l) To facilitate the
development of long-range goals and objectives for the nursing
program;
(m) To ensure that
equipment, furnishings, and supplies be current and replaced in a timely
manner;
(n) To ensure that the
nurse faculty has sufficient time to accomplish those activities related to the
teaching-learning process and program outcomes;
(o) To coordinate an orientation to the roles
and responsibilities of full-time, part-time, adjunct nurse faculty, and
clinical instructors to the program of nursing and, as appropriate, to clinical
facilities so that the mission, goals, and expected outcomes of the program
shall be achieved;
(p) To
facilitate regular communication with the full and part time nurse faculty and
clinical instructors in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the
program of nursing;
(q) To ensure
that recruitment materials provide accurate and complete information to
prospective students about the program including the:
1. Admission criteria;
2. Program description, including course
sequence, prerequisites, and corequisites;
3. Length of the program;
4. Current cost of the program, including
tuition and all associated fees and expenses; and
5. Transferability of credits to other public
and private institutions in Kentucky;
(r) To conduct or participate in the written
evaluation of each nurse faculty member, clinical instructor, and program of
nursing support staff according to published criteria, regardless of
contractual or tenured status;
(s)
To ensure the adherence to the written criteria for the selection and
evaluation of clinical facilities utilized by the program of nursing;
(t) To maintain current knowledge of
requirements pertaining to the program of nursing and licensure as established
in 201 KAR Chapter 20;
(u) To
attend the next available board orientation for program administrators but not
later than within six (6) months of appointment;
(v) To develop a structure to allow nurse
faculty to assist in the governance of the program;
(w) To ensure that the curriculum is
developed and implemented pursuant to
201 KAR 20:320; and
(x) To ensure that the program of nursing
posts a link provided by the board to the information published by the board
pursuant to
201 KAR 20:360, Section 5(4) on
its Web site and refers all individuals seeking information about the program
to this link.
(4) A
system of official records and reports essential to the operation of the
program of nursing maintained according to institutional policy. Provisions
shall be made for the security and protection of records against loss and
unauthorized distribution or use. The system shall include records of:
(a) Currently enrolled students to include
admission materials, courses taken, grades received, scores for standardized
tests, and clinical performance records;
(b) Minutes of faculty and committee
meetings, which shall be maintained a minimum of five (5) years, irrespective
of institutional policy;
(c)
Faculty records including:
1. Validation of
current licensure or privilege to practice as a Registered Nurse in
Kentucky;
2. Evidence of fulfilling
the faculty orientation requirements established in
201 KAR 20:310, Section 3(5);
and
3. Performance evaluation for
faculty employed more than one (1) year;
(d) Systematic plan of evaluation;
(e) Graduates of the program of nursing;
and
(f) Administrative records and
reports from accrediting agencies; and
(7) Nurse faculty, full-time, and
part-time, with the authority and responsibility to:
(a) Plan, implement, evaluate, and update the
program;
(b) Assist in the design,
implementation, evaluation, and updating of the curriculum using a written
plan;
(c) Participate in the
development, implementation, evaluation, and updating of policies for student
admission, progression, and graduation in keeping with the policies of the
governing institution;
(d)
Participate in academic advisement and guidance of students;
(e) Provide theoretical instruction and
clinical learning experiences;
(f)
Evaluate student achievement of curricular outcomes related to nursing
knowledge and practice;
(g) Develop
and implement student evaluation methods and tools for each course that measure
the progression of the student's cognitive, affective, and psychomotor
achievement of course and clinical outcomes based on published rubrics and
sound rationale;
(h) Participate in
academic and professional level activities that maintain the faculty member's
competency and professional expertise in the area of teaching
responsibility;
(i) Communicate
clinical outcomes to the student, clinical instructor, preceptor, and staff at
the clinical site;
(j) Assume
responsibility for utilizing the criteria in the selection of clinical sites
and in the evaluation of clinical experiences on a regular basis;
(k) Evaluate the student's experience,
achievement, and progress in relation to course and clinical outcomes, with
input from the clinical instructor and preceptor, if applicable; and
(l) Delegate to a nurse employed by a
clinical agency the supervision of a student performing a procedure;
and
(8) Clinical
instructors with the authority and responsibility to:
(a) Design, at the direction of the nurse
faculty member, the student's clinical experience to achieve the stated
outcomes of the nursing course in which the student is enrolled;
(b) Clarify with the nurse faculty member:
1. The role of the preceptor, if
applicable;
2. The course
responsibilities;
3. The course or
clinical outcomes;
4. A course
evaluation tool; and
5. Situations
in which collaboration and consultation shall be needed;
(c) Participate in the evaluation of the
student's performance by providing information to the nurse faculty member and
the student regarding the student's achievement of established outcomes;
and
(d) Delegate to a nurse
employed by a clinical agency the supervision of a student performing a
procedure.