La. Admin. Code tit. 46 § XLVII-3533

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section XLVII-3533 - Procedure for Establishing a New Undergraduate or Graduate Education Degree Program

A. Step I: Letter of Intent and Feasibility Study

1. A written notice of intent to establish a new undergraduate and/or graduate nursing education degree program(s) stating the purpose and type of program must be submitted to the board in two paper copies and one electronic copy as follows:

a. notice of intent shall include:

i. documented evidence of approval from the parent institution and the appropriate governing board to award the appropriate degree and a copy of the current bulletin or catalog;

ii. documentation of approval from Board of Regents for state and proprietary schools; and

iii. documentation of regional accreditation;

b. report of a feasibility study documenting a need for the program. The study shall include evidence of:

i. nurse manpower studies which validate need for the program as it relates to total state resources and nursing education in the state;

ii. documentation of communication with Louisiana nursing education degree programs on a form provided by the board regarding the potential impact on other undergraduate nursing education degree programs within a geographical area of 100 miles or the impact on other graduate nursing programs within the state;

iii. availability of qualified nurse faculty and support faculty;

iv. adequate academic and clinical facilities to meet the needs of the program;

v. adequate financial resources for planning, implementing and continuing the program;

vi. commitment of administration to support the program;

vii. community support;

viii. a proposed time schedule for initiating and expanding the program; and

ix. an available pool of potential students.

2. Representative of the parent institution shall meet with the board at a regularly scheduled board meeting to review the notice of intent, the report of the feasibility study and any other information submitted. Based on its review the board shall give written notification to the parent institution that:

a. supplementary information is needed; or

b. the notice of intent and feasibility study to establish a new program is accepted and the parent institution may continue with the plan to establish the program; however, public announcements and preadmission of students shall not occur prior to the receipt of initial board approval after step II; or

c. the letter of intent is not accepted, the reasons thereof, and all planning must cease.

B. Step II: Initial Approval of the Undergraduate and/or Graduate Nursing Education Degree Program(s)

1. If step I is accepted and if the parent institution is allowed by the board to proceed with the development of the program, a qualified chief nurse administrator shall be employed a minimum of 12 months prior to the admission of the first class of students.

2. The chief nurse administrator shall have the authority and responsibility to develop:

a. an organizational structure for the program;

b. an organizational chart;

c. bylaws;

d. administrative policies and procedures;

e. policies for screening and recommending candidates for faculty appointments and for retention and promotion of faculty (see §3515);

f. a budget;

g. a plan for the use of clinical and cooperating agencies and clinical preceptors;

h. a sample contractual/affiliation agreement with clinical and cooperating agencies and clinical preceptors; and

i. a plan for the use of academic facilities and resources.

3. The chief nurse administrator shall have previous teaching experience in a registered nursing education degree program.

4. The chief nurse administrator shall appoint a sufficient number of full-time nurse faculty with a minimum of two years clinical nursing practice at least six months prior to admission of students.

5. Nursing faculty with previous teaching experience in a nursing education degree program of the same academic level as the proposed program and experience in curriculum design are preferred.

6. The nurse faculty shall develop the proposed program and plan for its implementation. They shall write:

a. mission/philosophy, goals; program and student learning outcomes;

b. a curriculum plan;

c. course outcomes;

d. course outlines;

e. evaluation plan and methods;

f. admission, progression and graduation criteria;

g. policies for protecting students' rights, their safety and welfare, and for academic guidance and advising; and

h. plan for utilization of clinical facilities, cooperating agencies and clinical preceptors.

7. Upon completion of this phase of the development of the proposed undergraduate and/or graduate nursing education degree program(s), the chief nurse administrator shall request that the board staff conduct initial site visit.

8. Report on site visit will be presented to the board by board staff representative at a regularly scheduled board meeting for initial approval. Based on its review, the board shall give written notification to the parent institution that:

a. supplementary information is needed; or

b. initial approval is granted; or

c. initial approval is denied.

9. After initial approval is granted, public announcements may be issued and students may be admitted to the undergraduate and/or graduate nursing education degree program(s).

10. Initial approval shall not be continued for more than two consecutive one -year periods following the undergraduate and/or graduate nursing education degree program(s) eligibility to apply for full approval.

11. An undergraduate and/or graduate nursing education degree program(s) remaining ineligible for full approval after two consecutive one-year periods following the nursing program's eligibility to apply for full approval, shall not admit new students and shall initiate a phase-out of the program in accordance with §3531

C. Step III: Full Approval of Undergraduate and/or Graduate Nursing Education Degree Program(s)

1. Full approval shall be requested after members of the first class of graduates write and receive the results of the first licensing or certification examination. Additionally, an on-site visit is required and upon presentation of evidence that standards of the board have been met, full approval may be granted to the program. Undergraduate and/or graduate nursing education degree program(s) shall achieve national nursing accreditation within one year of being granted full approval.

a. A program not accredited by a national nursing accrediting body within one year post-full approval may petition the board for a one-year extension.

b. Following the one-year extension, a program failing to achieve national accreditation shall immediately cease admission of students and begin termination.

c. A program that loses national nursing accreditation shall immediately be placed on probation.

La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § XLVII-3533

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Human Resources, Board of Nursing, LR 3:190 (April 1977), amended LR 10:1027 (December 1984), amended by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Nursing, LR 14:532 (August 1988), repromulgated LR 24:1293 (July 1998), amended LR 26:2791 (December 2000), repromulgated LR 27:853 (June 2001), amended LR 38:2549 (October 2012), LR 42:885 (June 2016).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:918.