Rule 410-9-.03 - Changes in Approval Status Categories and Grounds(1) Conditional Approval may be imposed on a new nursing education program pursuant to Rule 410-9-.02(11).(2) Conditional Approval may be imposed on a nursing education program when review of the most recent annual report, the most recent site visit report, the most recent annualized licensing examination passing percentage for its graduates on their initial examination, or any other pertinent data reveals noncompliance with Board Laws or Rules. (a) The Board shall notify the program in writing of the cited deficiencies and the Board's recommendations and suggestions for correcting the deficiencies.(b) The program must respond in writing to the Board's recommendations and suggestions within six (6) weeks of receipt of the notification and must include a plan of action to correct the cited deficiencies. The plan of action should be implemented immediately by the program.(c) If the deficiencies are not corrected within the time period specified by the Board in its response to the program's plan of action (but no longer than six (6) months), the program shall be placed on Conditional Approval.(d) If the deficiencies are corrected within the Board-specified time period (but no longer than six (6) months), the program shall be granted Full Approval.(3) Conditional Approval status shall be conveyed to the program in writing.(a) The program has ninety (90) days from the date of the notification to request in writing a reevaluation by the Board. The program must provide documentation of corrected deficiencies for consideration of reinstatement of the program to Full Approval status.(b) If a reevaluation request is not made, the approval status decision of the Board shall remain in effect.(4) If the deficiencies have not been corrected within one (1) year from the date of Conditional Approval status notification, the program's approval status shall be Withdrawn.(5) Programs placed on Conditional Approval status must notify currently enrolled and potential students in writing of the program's Conditional Approval status. This statement must include the possibility that the program may have its approval Withdrawn at the end of one (1) year from the date of Conditional Approval notification, and that the Board may require the transfer of remaining students to other nursing programs to complete their programs of study.(6) Withdrawn Approval. The Board may Withdraw Approval status from a nursing education program which has demonstrated continued noncompliance with any of the Board Laws or Rules. (a) The Board may Withdraw Approval from a new nursing education program as provided in Rule 410-9-.02(11)(b).(b) The Board may Withdraw approval when a nursing education program fails to correct documented deficiencies within one (1) year following the date of written notification of Conditional Approval status.(c) Withdrawn Approval is sent to the program by certified mail.1.The program has ninety (90) days from the date of the notification to request, in writing, a reevaluation by the Board. The program must provide documentation of corrected deficiencies for consideration of reinstatement of the program to Conditional or Full Approval status.(a) If a reevaluation request is made and there is documentation to verify that appropriate corrective actions have been implemented, the Board may grant reinstatement of Conditional Approval for up to six (6) months.(b) If a reevaluation request is made and there is documentation to verify correction of all deficiencies, the Board may grant Full Approval.(c) If a reevaluation request is not made, the approval status decision of the Board shall remain in effect.2.The notification will state the effective date of the Withdrawal of Approval. Within thirty (30) days of receipt of the notification, the program will submit to the Board a written plan for graduating all students who had been admitted before approval status was withdrawn as provided in Rule 410-9-.14.3.Any program whose approval status has been Withdrawn, must apply for approval as a new nursing education program as provided in Rule 410-9-.02.(7) With any change in approval status the program sponsors may present any evidence for the Board to consider addressing the alleged deficiencies in writing and/or appearance before the board.(8) The Board may grant or impose the following changes in approval status categories. (a) From Developmental Approval to Provisional Approval for a new nursing education program pursuant to Rule 410-9-.02(8).(b) From Provisional Approval to Full Approval for a new nursing education program pursuant to Rule 410-9-.02(10).(c) From Provisional Approval to Conditional Approval for a new nursing education program pursuant to Rule 410-9-.02(11).(d) From Full Approval to Conditional Approval for a nursing education program pursuant to Rule 410-9-.03.(e) From Conditional Approval to Full Approval for a nursing education program pursuant to Rule 410-9-.03.(f) From Conditional Approval to Withdrawn Approval for a nursing education program pursuant to Rule 410-9-.02(11)(b) and 410-9-.03.(g) From Withdrawn Approval to Conditional Approval or Full Approval for a nursing education program pursuant to Rule 410-9-.03.(9) The following deficiencies shall be inclusive of, but not limited to, those which the Board considers grounds for a change in approval status if the deficiencies are not corrected within the time period specified in Rules 410-9-.02. (a) Any curriculum change(s) made without Board notification pursuant to board rules.(b) Failure to adhere to required theoretical content pursuant to Rule 410-9-.06.(c) Failure to adhere to required educational facilities, resources, and support services pursuant to board rules.(d) Failure to adhere to required school rules and policies pursuant to board rules.(e) Failure to adhere to required nursing faculty qualifications pursuant to Rules 410-9-.07 and 410-9-.08.(f) Failure to adhere to required clinical experience guidelines pursuant to board rules.(g) Failure to adhere to required instructor/student ratios pursuant to Rule 410-9-.07.(h) Failure to submit required reports and/or maintain required records pursuant to board rules.(i) Failure to maintain an annualized licensing examination passing percentage of 80% or greater for the program's graduates on their initial examination.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 410-9-.03
O.C.G.A. §§ 43-1-25, 43-26-2, 43-26-5(a)(4) -(6) and 43-26-32.
Original Rule entitled "Changes in Approval Status Categories and Grounds" adopted. F. Aug. 24, 2015; eff. Sept. 13, 2015.