RELATES TO:
KRS
314.111,
314.475
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY:
KRS
314.131(1) authorizes the
Board of Nursing to promulgate administrative regulations necessary to enable
it to carry into effect the provisions of KRS Chapter 314. This administrative
regulation establishes standards for faculty of programs of nursing that
prepare graduates for licensure as registered nurses or practical
nurses.
Section 1. Definitions.
(1) "Clinical instructor" means a registered
nurse who is employed by a program of nursing to provide students with
traditional clinical or simulated experiences.
(2) "Nurse faculty" means a registered nurse
who is employed by a program of nursing, either full-time, part-time, or
adjunct, to provide didactic instruction, and may also provide clinical
instruction or simulated experiences.
(3) Nursing experience" means employment in a
position that requires the individual to hold an active nursing license, such
as nursing clinical practice, nursing administration, nursing education, or
nursing research.
(4) "Preceptor"
means a nurse with demonstrated competence in a specific clinical area who
serves as a role model and mentor to assist in the development and validation
of the competencies of a student.
(5) "Skills laboratory instructor" means a
non-faculty instructor primarily assigned to a clinical skills or simulation
laboratory who manages the daily operations of the skills laboratory or assists
nursing faculty to implement student learning activities for the development of
psychomotor nursing skills.
(6)
"Unencumbered" means a license without current disciplinary conditions or
restrictions. Enrollment in an alternative to discipline program is not an
encumbrance.
Section 2.
Faculty for Prelicensure Registered Nurse and Practical Nurse Programs.
(1)
(a) The
faculty shall include a program administrator and shall include at least one
(1) other nurse faculty.
(b) The
faculty shall be adequate in number to implement the curriculum as determined
by program outcomes, course objectives, the level of the students, the number
of students and classes admitted annually, and the educational technology
utilized.
(c) The program
administrator and all nurse faculty and clinical instructors shall be appointed
by and be responsible to the governing institution of the program of
nursing.
(d) A program shall
develop and implement a plan of organization and administration that clearly
establishes the lines of authority, accountability, and responsibility for each
program location.
(2)
Program administrator qualifications. The program administrator for a
registered nurse or a practical nurse program shall have:
(a) A minimum of a master's or higher degree
in nursing from an accredited college or university. In lieu of a master's
degree, the program administrator shall have completed that portion of a
doctoral degree that would be equivalent to a master's in nursing degree while
enrolled in an accredited college or university with a timeline in place for
degree attainment. The program administrator shall provide documentation that
shows active and steady progression towards the doctoral degree;
(b) A minimum of five (5) years of nursing
experience within the immediate past seven (7) years;
(c) A minimum of two (2) years of full time
teaching experience at or above the academic level of the program of
nursing;
(d) An unencumbered
current license, privilege, or temporary work permit to practice as a
registered nurse in the Commonwealth of Kentucky;
(e) A current knowledge of nursing practice
at the level of the program; and
(f) Demonstrated experience or preparation in
education that includes teaching adults, adult learning theory teaching
methods, curriculum development, and curriculum evaluation. A program
administrator without previous program administrator experience shall have a
mentor assigned by the governing institution and an educational development
plan implemented. The mentor shall have documented experience in program
administration.
(3) A
program administrator who is currently employed at a practical nurse program
and who does not meet the requirements of subsection 2(a) of this Section may
continue to be employed at the program of nursing where the program
administrator is presently, but shall earn the master's degree or higher in
nursing on or before July 1, 2021.
(4) Didactic faculty qualifications.
(a) Didactic faculty in a registered nurse
program shall meet the qualifications set out in
KRS
314.111(6)(b), (c), or
(d).
(b) Nurse faculty in a practical nurse
program shall have a minimum of an associate degree with a major in nursing
from an accredited college or university.
(c) The nurse faculty shall hold a temporary
work permit or a current unencumbered license or privilege to practice as a
registered nurse in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
(d) The nurse faculty shall document a
minimum of two (2) years full time or equivalent experience as a registered
nurse within the immediate past five (5) years and shall have and maintain
expertise in the clinical or functional area of responsibility. (e) The nurse
faculty shall document preparation in educational activities in the area of
teaching and learning principles for adult education, including curriculum
development and implementation. The preparation shall be acquired through
planned faculty inservice learning activities, continuing education offerings,
or academic courses.
(f) Nurse
faculty hired without prior teaching experience shall have a mentor assigned
and an educational development plan implemented.
(g)
1.
Non-nurse faculty members who teach nursing courses required within the
curriculum shall have appropriate academic and experiential qualifications for
the program areas in which they participate.
2. Non-nurse faculty shall be required to
collaborate with a nurse faculty member in order to meet the nursing course
outcomes.
(h) Nurse
faculty who teach via distance or on-line shall hold an unencumbered active
nursing license to practice as a registered nurse in the nurse faculty's
primary state of residence.
(5) Skills laboratory and clinical instructor
qualifications.
(a) A clinical instructor
shall function under the guidance of the nurse faculty responsible for a given
course.
(b) A clinical instructor
for either a registered nurse or practical nurse program shall hold a current
unencumbered license, privilege, or temporary work permit to practice as a
registered nurse in the state of the student's clinical site.
(c) A clinical instructor shall have a
minimum of two (2) years full time or equivalent experience as a registered
nurse within the immediate past five (5) years and evidence of clinical
competence appropriate to teaching responsibilities.
(d) For a registered nurse program, the
clinical instructor shall meet the requirements of
KRS
314.111(6)(a).
(e) For a practical nurse program, the
clinical instructor shall be a registered nurse.
(f) A skills laboratory instructor shall have
the same qualifications as a clinical instructor.
Section 3. Preceptors.
(1) A preceptor may be used to enhance
clinical learning experiences. If a preceptor is used, it shall be done after a
student has received clinical and didactic instruction from the program faculty
in all basic areas for the course or specific learning experience.
(2) A preceptor shall hold a current
unencumbered license, privilege, or temporary work permit to practice as a
registered nurse in the state of the student's clinical site. In a practical
nursing program, a preceptor may hold a current unencumbered license,
privilege, or temporary work permit to practice as a licensed practical nurse
in the state of the student's clinical site.
(3) A preceptor shall have evidence of
clinical competencies related to the area of assigned clinical teaching
responsibilities.
(4) A preceptor
shall not be used to replace clinical instructors. The ratio of student to
preceptor shall not exceed two (2) to one (1). Clinical instructors or nurse
faculty retain responsibility for student learning and confer with the
preceptor and student for the purpose of monitoring and evaluating learning
experiences.
(5) There shall be
documentation of orientation to the course, program outcomes, student learning
objectives, evaluation methods to be utilized by the faculty, and documented
role expectations of faculty, preceptor, and student.
Section 4. Reporting of Registered Nurse
Program and Practical Nurse Program Faculty Qualifications and Appointments.
(1) Evaluation of faculty records. The
program administrator shall submit to the board the qualifications of nurse
faculty and clinical instructors within thirty (30) days of appointment.
(a) Official academic transcripts or copies
verified by the nurse administrator or designee shall be available to the board
upon request.
(b) A complete and
official record of qualifications and workload for each faculty member shall be
on file and available to the board upon request.
(c) Faculty appointments shall be reported to
the board in writing.
(d) The
program administrator shall report a change in faculty composition within
thirty (30) days of appointment or vacancy.
(2) The board shall review annually the
qualifications of the faculty employed in the program of nursing.