Chapter N 1

N 1.08(2)(a)4. 4. Current knowledge of nursing practice.

N 1.08(2)(b) (b) The educational administrator shall notify the board within 5 business days of a vacancy in the educational administrator’s position or change in educational administrator. Failure to report by the educational administrator is considered a violation of s. N 7.03 (1) (intro.).

N 1.08(2)(c) (c) The institution shall designate an interim or permanent educational administrator and notify the board within 5 business days of a vacancy in the educational administrator position. The institution may request board approval of an interim educational administrator who does not meet the qualifications in par. (a).

N 1.08(2)(d) (d) The interim educational administrator may serve no longer than 6 months. The institution may request an extension of time based upon hardship. The institution and new educational administrator shall notify the board within 5 business days of the institution’s hiring of the educational administrator.

N 1.08(3) (3) Faculty.

N 1.08(3)(a) (a) Faculty standards. The school of nursing shall have evidence of the faculty meeting the standards in this section on file in the school of nursing office and available upon request to the board.

N 1.08(3)(b) (b) Qualifications for professional nursing faculty. The qualifications for the faculty of a school of professional nursing are all of the following:

N 1.08(3)(b)1. 1. Hold a current, active registered nurse license or privilege to practice in Wisconsin that is not encumbered.

N 1.08(3)(b)2. 2. A graduate degree with a major in nursing.

N 1.08(3)(b)3. 3. Notwithstanding subd. 2., interprofessional faculty teaching interdisciplinary courses not specific to nursing shall have expertise and a graduate degree appropriate for the content being taught.

N 1.08(3)(c) (c) Qualifications for practical nursing faculty. The qualifications for the faculty of a school of practical nursing are all of the following:

N 1.08(3)(c)1. 1. Hold a current, active registered nurse license or privilege to practice in Wisconsin that is not encumbered.

N 1.08(3)(c)2. 2. A baccalaureate degree with a major in nursing.

N 1.08(3)(d) (d) Faculty exceptions. An educational administrator may apply to the board for exceptions to faculty requirements who are not teaching graduate level courses. A minimum of 50 percent of faculty must meet the faculty qualifications. A school of nursing that is granted a faculty exception for a faculty member shall provide the faculty member with a supervisor who meets the qualifications in par. (b) or (c). The board may grant any of the following exceptions:

N 1.08(3)(d)1. 1. ‘Standard exception.’ A standard exception may be renewed upon showing proof of progress and continued active enrollment each year. The standard exception is for a person who has a baccalaureate degree in nursing and is actively enrolled in one of the following:

N 1.08(3)(d)1.a. a. A master’s program with a major in nursing.

N 1.08(3)(d)1.b. b. A bachelor’s in nursing to doctorate program in nursing.

N 1.08(3)(d)1.c. c. A doctorate program in nursing.

N 1.08(3)(d)2. 2. ‘Emergency exception.’ A person with a bachelor’s degree in nursing may be employed for a short-term, unanticipated emergency situation including medical leave. The emergency exception is for a term no longer than one semester. The emergency exception may not be renewed for the course taught or for the individual in consecutive semesters. An educational administrator who requests a second consecutive emergency exception is required to submit a plan regarding the school of nursing staffing levels, courses being offered, and the extenuating circumstances to the board prior to the board approving another emergency exception.

N 1.08(3)(d)3. 3. ‘Non-nursing masters degree exception.’ A non-nursing master’s degree exception is for a person who has a unique combination of knowledge, experience, and skills that will best serve the school of nursing, faculty, and students in a specific content area. The person shall meet all of the following:

N 1.08(3)(d)3.a. a. A bachelor’s degree in nursing.

N 1.08(3)(d)3.b. b. A graduate degree related to the topic of the course the person is teaching.

N 1.08(3)(d)3.c. c. Nursing experience in the area of teaching assignment.

N 1.08(4) (4) Curriculum. The curriculum shall enable the student to develop the nursing knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for the level, scope and standards of competent nursing practice expected at the level of licensure. All curriculum shall be developed by nursing faculty with a graduate degree and designed to teach students to use a systematic approach to clinical decision-making and safe patient care. Curriculum for graduate level courses shall be developed by nursing faculty with a doctoral degree. Curriculum shall be revised as necessary to maintain a program that reflects advances in health care and its delivery. The curriculum shall include all of the following:

N 1.08(4)(a) (a) Evidence-based learning experiences and methods of instruction consistent with the written curriculum plan. The methods of instruction may include distance education methods.

N 1.08(4)(b) (b) Diverse didactic and clinical learning experiences consistent with program outcomes.

N 1.08(4)(c) (c) Coursework shall include all of the following:

N 1.08(4)(c)1. 1. Content in the biological, physical, social and behavioral sciences to provide a foundation for safe and effective nursing practice.

N 1.08(4)(c)2. 2. Content regarding professional responsibilities, legal and ethical issues, and history and trends in nursing and health care.

N 1.08(4)(c)3. 3. Didactic content and supervised clinical experiences in the prevention of illness and the promotion, restoration and maintenance of health in patients from diverse cultural, ethnic, social and economic backgrounds. Prelicensure programs shall include patients across the lifespan.

N 1.08(5) (5) Clinical learning experiences.

N 1.08(5)(a) (a) Patient experiences shall occur in a variety of clinical or simulated settings of nursing practice expected at the level of licensure and shall include all of the following:

N 1.08(5)(a)1. 1. Integrating evidence-based research with patient goals and values to produce optimal care.

N 1.08(5)(a)3. 3. Providing patient-centered culturally competent care by doing all of the following:

N 1.08(5)(a)3.b. b. Recognizing that the patient or designee is the source of control and full partner in providing coordinated care.

N 1.08(5)(a)3.c. c. Coordinating and managing patient care across settings.

N 1.08(5)(a)3.d. d. Providing education at a level understandable by the patient.

N 1.08(5)(a)4. 4. Collaborating with interprofessional teams to foster open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making in order to achieve safe and effective patient care.

N 1.08(5)(a)5. 5. Experiencing quality improvement processes to monitor patient care outcomes, identify possibility of hazards and errors and collaborate in the development and testing of changes that improve the quality and safety of health care systems.

N 1.08(5)(a)6. 6. Using information technology to communicate, mitigate errors, and support decision-making.

N 1.08(5)(b) (b) All entities selected for clinical experiences shall adhere to standards which demonstrate concern for the patient and evidence of the skillful application of all measures of safe nursing practices.

N 1.08(5)(c) (c) All faculty teaching clinical or practicum courses shall be experienced in the clinical area of the course and maintain clinical expertise.

N 1.08(5)(d) (d) Faculty-supervised clinical practice shall include all of the following:

N 1.08(5)(d)1. 1. Development of skills in the provision of direct patient care.

N 1.08(5)(d)4. 4. Delegation to and supervision of other health care providers.

N 1.08(5)(d)5. 5. Effective application of the nursing process.

N 1.08(5)(e) (e) Clinical experiences shall be supervised by qualified faculty.

N 1.08(5)(f) (f) All student clinical experiences, including those with preceptors, shall be directed by nursing faculty.

N 1.08(5m) (5m) simulation.

N 1.08(5m)(a) (a) Simulation used to meet clinical requirements shall adhere to all of the following:

N 1.08(5m)(a)1. 1. Nursing faculty with documented education and training in the use of simulation shall develop, implement, and evaluate the simulation experience.

N 1.08(5m)(a)2. 2. Prebriefing and debriefing are conducted by nursing faculty with subject matter expertise and training in simulation using evidence-based techniques.

N 1.08(5m)(b) (b) Simulation may not be utilized for more than 50% of the time designated for meeting clinical learning requirements.

N 1.08(6) (6) Preceptors.

N 1.08(6)(a) (a) Preceptors shall be approved by the faculty of the school of nursing.

N 1.08(6)(b) (b) The school of nursing shall provide each preceptor with an orientation concerning the roles and responsibilities of the students, faculty and preceptors. The preceptor shall have clearly documented roles and responsibilities.

N 1.08(6)(c) (c) Clinical preceptors shall have an unencumbered license or privilege to practice in Wisconsin as a nurse at or above the licensure level for which the student is being prepared.

N 1.08(6)(d) (d) Preceptors shall demonstrate competencies related to the area of assigned clinical teaching responsibilities.

N 1.08(7) (7) Evaluation. The school of nursing shall implement a comprehensive, systematic plan for ongoing evaluation. Evidence of implementation shall reflect progress toward or achievement of program outcomes.

N 1.08 History History: CR 14-004: cr. Register July 2014 No. 703, eff. 8-1-14; corrections in (3) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., in (3) (a) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 2., Stats., and in (4) (intro.), (c) (intro.), (5) (a) (intro.), (d) (intro.) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register July 2014 No. 703; CR 17-095: am. (4) (intro.), (c) 3., (5) (a) (intro.), 1., r. (5) (a) 2., am. (5) (a) 3. (intro.), r. (5) (a) 3. a., r. and recr. (5) (a) 3. b., d., am. (5) (a) 4., 5., (b), (d) 1., r. (5) (d) 2., 3., cr. (5) (d) 5., (5m) Register August 2018 No. 752, eff. 9-1-18; CR 17-096: am. (1) (d), (2) (a) 2., r. and recr. (2) (a) 3., (b), cr. (2) (c), (d), r. and recr. (3) (b) 2., cr. (3) (b) 3., r. and recr. (3) (d) (intro.), 2., 3. (intro.), r. (3) (d) 3. d. Register August 2018 No. 752, eff. 9-1-18; correction in (3) (d) 2., 3. (intro.), (5) (a) 1., 5. made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register August 2018 No. 752, eff. 9-1-18; CR 21-009: r. (5m) (a) 3. Register December 2021 No. 792, eff. 1-1-22.

N 1.09 N 1.09 Annual pass rates.

N 1.09(1) (1) Generally. The school of nursing NCLEX pass rate includes all prelicensure students taking the NCLEX in the school of nursing. The board shall consider both the registered nurse NCLEX and practical nurse NCLEX pass rates when evaluating a school of professional nursing that grants a certificate of completion for practical nursing. A school of nursing which contains graduate programs shall include all advanced practice certification examinations related to programs offered in the school of nursing.

N 1.09(2) (2) Annual pass rate standard. The annual pass rate of graduates taking the NCLEX or advanced practice certification examinations for all test takers is a minimum of 80%.

N 1.09(3) (3) Annual pass rate standard not met. If the annual pass rate standard is not met, the school of nursing shall receive a warning letter. The school shall identify factors that are potentially affecting the low pass rate and submit an assessment of contributing factors and institutional plan for improvement of examination results including outcomes and timeframes. The assessment and institutional plan shall be submitted to the board within 45 days of the board notifying the school of nursing of its failure to meet the annual pass rate standard and the institutional plan shall be acted on by the board no later than July 15. Failure to have a board approved plan by July 15 results in a review of the school of nursing under s. N 1.10 (4).

N 1.09 History History: CR 14-004: cr. Register July 2014 No. 703, eff. 8-1-14; correction in (1) (title) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 2., Stats., Register July 2014 No. 703; CR 17-096: r. and recr. Register August 2018 No. 752, eff. 9-1-18.

N 1.10 N 1.10 Continuation of board approval.

N 1.10(1) (1) Schools of nursing shall file with the board all of the following:

N 1.10(1)(a) (a) Annual self-evaluation reports by February 1.

N 1.10(1)(b) (b) All documents submitted to or received from nursing accreditation agencies relating to compliance with accreditation standards.

N 1.10(1)(c) (c) Notification of any actions, withdrawal or change in school nursing accreditation status within 30 days.

N 1.10(2) (2) Failure to maintain nursing accreditation shall result in withdrawal of board approval and the procedures in s. N 1.11 (2) will commence.

N 1.10(3) (3) The board may review the school of nursing to determine whether s. N 1.08 standards are being met in the following situations:

N 1.10(3)(a) (a) Change in school nursing accreditation status.

N 1.10(3)(b) (b) Nursing accreditation reports indicate standards are not being met.

N 1.10(3)(c) (c) Complaints regarding the conduct of the school are received and it is necessary to evaluate the complaints.

N 1.10(3)(d) (d) Failure to meet annual pass rate standard in s. N 1.09.

N 1.10(3)(e) (e) Violation of any of the rules under this chapter.

N 1.10(4) (4) The review of the school may include any of the following:

N 1.10(4)(a) (a) A site survey.

N 1.10(4)(b) (b) A self-assessment.

N 1.10(4)(c) (c) A plan for improvement and any progress reports.

N 1.10(5) (5) If the board makes a determination that s. N 1.08 standards are not being met, all of the following procedures shall be followed:

N 1.10(5)(a) (a) The school of nursing shall submit an institutional plan, including timelines, to correct identified deficiencies in the school of nursing.

N 1.10(5)(b) (b) The board shall review the proposed plan and may make modifications to the plan.

N 1.10(5)(c) (c) The school of nursing shall make progress reports to the board as requested.

N 1.10(5)(d) (d) The board may withdraw board approval if the school of nursing continues to not meet standards.

N 1.10 History History: CR 14-004: cr. Register July 2014 No. 703, eff. 8-1-14; correction in (5) (intro.) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register July 2014 No. 703; CR 17-096: am. (1) (a) to (c), (3) (c), (d), (4) (b), (c) Register August 2018 No. 752, eff. 9-1-18.

N 1.11 N 1.11 Closure of a school of nursing.

N 1.11(1) (1) Voluntary. When a school of nursing intends to close, the institution shall do all of the following: