STATE OF WISCONSIN
Board of Nursing
IN THE MATTER OF RULE-MAKING PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE
BOARD OF NURSING
ORDER OF THE BOARD OF NURSING
ADOPTING RULES
(CLEARINGHOUSE RULE 17-096)
ORDER
An order of the Board of Nursing to repeal N 1.04 (1) (d) 4. and 1.08 (3) (d) 3.d.; to amend N 1.02 (1), 1.02 (5g), 1.03 (1) (c), 1.04 (1) (a) and (b), 1.04 (1) (f) 1., 1.05 (1) (intro.), 1.05 (1) (b), 1.05 (5) (c), 1.07 (1), 1.08 (1) (d), 1.08 (2) (a) 2., 1.10 (1) (a), (b), and (c), 1.10 (3) (c), and (d) and 1.10 (4) (b), and (c); to repeal and recreate N 1.02 (12), 1.08 (2) (a) 3., 1.08 (2) (b), 1.08 (3) (b) 2., 1.08 (3) (d) (intro.), 1.08 (3) (d) 2., 1.08 (3) (d) 3. (intro.) and 1.09; and to create N 1.04 (1) (dm), and (em), 1.04 (1) (f) 3., 1.04 (2g), and (2r), 1.08 (2) (c), and (d), and 1.08 (3) (b) 3., relating to school approval.
Analysis prepared by the Department of Safety and Professional Services.
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ANALYSIS
Explanation of agency authority:
The board shall promulgate rules for its own guidance and for the guidance of the profession to which it pertains.
Specifically, the board may establish minimum standards for schools for professional nurses and schools for licensed practical nurses, including all related clinical units and facilities, and make and provide periodic surveys and consultations to such schools. It may also establish rules to prevent unauthorized persons from practicing professional nursing. It shall approve all rules for the administration of chapter 441, Wis. Stats.
Plain language analysis:
Section 1 amends the definition of “annual pass rate” to include the advanced practice certification examination to reflect the examination taken by applicants who attend graduate school.
Section 2 returns institution accreditation to a regional accrediting entity. The change to national occurred with CR 14-004. Since the change the Board’s experience is the standards between regional and national are not comparable. With the withdrawal of federal recognition to at least one large national accrediting body, the Board does not want to create uncertainty for schools, students or clinical sites going forward. The return to requiring regional accreditation is in line with other health professional requirements. Section 3 repeals and recreates the definition for school of professional nursing to clarify the definition includes graduate schools and postlicensure bachelor degree schools. Postlicensure bachelor degree schools are schools for an associate degree registered nurse to obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
Section 4 clarifies evidence of availability of sufficient clinical facilities is not a signed contract and that no contract can be signed until after the school receives authorization to plan a school of nursing.
Section 5 clarifies the educational administrator needs to meet the required qualifications. It also clarifies that the school only needs to show employment of faculty to teach the courses offered the first 6 months eliminating the need to hire faculty for all courses in the school prior to admitting students.
Section 6 repeals the requirement that the curriculum include a program evaluation plan.
Section 7 creates the requirement for documentation of a school evaluation plan and a plan for availability of student policies as part of the application for authorization to admit students.
Section 8 clarifies all contracts for clinical facilities contained in the application for authorization to admit shall be signed after the date the authorization to plan was granted.
Section 9 clarifies that clinical experiences shall represent all areas of nursing practice covered by the school of nursing’s curriculum prior to being granted authorization to admit students.
Section 10 creates a mechanism for schools to notify the board on a quarterly basis of faculty hiring to ensure that sufficient faculty are in place beyond the first six months. It also creates a provision which clarifies the board may review schools that are authorized to admit students but are not fully approved in a similar manner as approved schools.
Section 11 removes a confusing provision for when a school may apply for approval.
Section 12 amends the systematic evaluation plan to include the NCLEX or advanced practice certification pass rates.
