201 Ky. Admin. Regs. 20:260

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 6, December 1, 2024

Section 201 KAR 20:260 - Organization and administration standards for prelicensure registered nurse or practical nurse programs of nursing

RELATES TO: KRS 314.041(1), 314.111(1), (5), 314.131

NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 314.111(1) and 314.131(2) require the board to approve schools of nursing and courses preparing persons for licensure and to monitor standards for nurse competency under KRS Chapter 314. KRS 314.131(1) authorizes the board to promulgate administrative regulations to implement KRS Chapter 314. This administrative regulation establishes the organization and administration standards for prelicensure registered nurse or practical nurse programs.

Section 1. Definitions.

(1) "Campus" means a division of a college or university that has its own grounds, buildings, and students, but is administratively joined to the rest of the college or university.

(2) "Clerical assistance" means the provision of administrative, secretarial, or clerical help by qualified individuals that assists the program of nursing.

(3) "Clinical instructor" means a nurse who is employed by a program of nursing solely to provide students with traditional clinical or simulated experiences.

(4) "Nurse faculty" means a 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.

(5) "Nursing track" means a path within a program of nursing that leads to licensure as a nurse.

(6) "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.

(7) "Program of nursing" means the educational unit that prepares a person for licensure as a registered or licensed practical nurse.

Section 2. 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

(5) Official publications of the governing institution including:

(a) A description of the governing institution and program of nursing;

(b) Policies on admission, progression, dismissal, graduation, and student grievance procedures; and

(c) A description of student services;

(6) Clerical assistance and support staff.

(a) There shall be clerical assistance and support staff sufficient to meet the needs of the nursing program for the administrator, faculty, and students.

(b) Each campus shall have at least one (1) dedicated clerical staff.

(c) If the program of nursing does not have at least one (1) dedicated clerical staff, the program administrator shall provide written justification to the board. The board shall evaluate the justification to determine whether the program may operate effectively without dedicated staff sufficient to meet the needs of the nursing program. If the board rejects the justification, the program of nursing shall comply with the board's determination on clerical staffing.

(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.

Section 3. Number of Students Enrolled.

(1) All programs of nursing shall have on record with the board the number of new students that the program is able to enroll in one (1) academic year.

(2) There shall be no limit on the number of students who may attend a program of nursing if the program of nursing meets:

(a) The requirements of KRS 314.111(5); and

(b) The benchmarks set out in 201 KAR 20:360, Section 5(2)(f).

(3)

(a) A program of nursing that meets the requirements set out in subsection (2) of this section may increase its enrollment without limitation.

(b) A program of nursing shall report any increase in enrollment to the board.

(4)

(a) The board may impose a limit on the number of students attending a program of nursing that does not meet the requirements of subsection (2) of this section.

(b) The board may deny an increase in enrollment for a program of nursing that does not meet the requirements of subsection (2) of this section.

Section 4. Multiple Campuses.

(1)

(a) A governing institution may have programs of nursing located on different campuses.

(b) Each campus shall be considered a separate program of nursing.

(2)

(a) The governing institution shall designate a main campus headed by a program administrator.

(b) The program administrator shall have final responsibility and authority for the non-main campuses, but shall designate an assistant program administrator to assist in the governance of each non-main location. The assistant program administrator shall meet the qualification for a nurse faculty as set out in 201 KAR 20:310. The program administrator may designate the amount of release time for the assistant program administrator for administrative duties, but it shall not be less than twenty-five (25) percent.

(3) For purposes of calculating benchmarks set out in 201 KAR 20:360, Section 5(2)(f), each campus shall individually report its data annually to the board. The board shall evaluate the benchmarks for each campus individually.

(4) A governing institution that has extended its main campus to a new campus during the period 201 KAR 20:260 E was in effect, from January 11, 2022 to October 8, 2022, shall take the necessary steps to comply with 201 KAR 20:280. The process shall begin within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this administrative regulation.

Section 5. Suspension of Enrollment.

(1) A governing institution that decides to suspend enrollment in the program of nursing shall notify the board in writing within thirty (30) days following the decision. No longer enrolling in one (1) of several nursing tracks within a program of nursing shall not constitute suspension of enrollment for purposes of this administrative regulation.

(2) The notification shall identify the reasons leading to the decision and how long it is anticipated that the suspension will be in effect.

(3) The governing institution shall report to the board annually on the status of the suspension.

(4)

(a) If the decision to reinstate enrollment is made within three (3) years of the decision to suspend enrollment, the governing institution shall notify the board in writing of the decision within thirty (30) days.

(b) The notification shall state the date classes will begin. It shall also list the faculty and clinical sites that will be utilized.

(5) If the decision to reinstate enrollment is made three (3) years or more from the decision to suspend enrollment, the governing institution shall comply with the procedures outlined in 201 KAR 20:280.

Section 6. Change in Accreditation.

(1) A governing institution that seeks to change the U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting body from which it receives accreditation shall notify the board when it has filed an application for accreditation.

(2) A governing institution with an application in process before the accrediting body shall be considered in compliance with Section 2(1)(a) of this administrative regulation.

(3)

(a) A governing institution whose application has been denied by its accrediting body shall not be considered to be in compliance with Section 2(1)(a) of this administrative regulation.

(b) The board shall begin the process established in 201 KAR 20:360, Section 7 for withdrawal of approval.

201 KAR 20:260

11 Ky.R. 1696; eff. 6-4-1985; 19 Ky.R. 2673; 20 Ky.R. 306; eff. 8-6-1993; 25 Ky.R. 597; 1033; eff. 11-18-1998; 27 Ky.R. 831; 11-17-2000; 35 Ky.R. 2793; 36 Ky.R. 322; eff. 8-12-2009; 38 Ky.R. 1186; 1437; eff. 2-15-2012; 40 Ky.R. 1335; 1714; eff. 2-19-2014; 42 Ky.R. 2415, 2717; eff. 6-3-2016; 45 Ky.R. 1750, 2586; eff. 3-13-2019; Adopted 1-11-2022; 49 Ky.R, 413, 1053; eff. 11/15/2022.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 314.111(1), 314.131(1), (2)