201
KAR 20:062. Standards for advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) programs of
nursing.
RELATES
TO: KRS 314.011, 314.111, 314.131
STATUTORY
AUTHORITY: KRS 314.111(3), 314.131(1), (2)
NECESSITY,
FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 314.111(3) and 314.131(2) require the board to
promulgate administrative regulations to set standards for the establishment
and outcomes of nursing programs, to approve schools of nursing preparing
persons for advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) licensure, and to monitor
standards for APRN 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 APRN programs of nursing
standards.
Section
1. Definitions. (1) "APRN program coordinator" means that individual
who is responsible for the oversight of the educational unit and is licensed as
an APRN in the designated role and in the same population focus as the program.
(2)
"APRN program of nursing" means the educational unit that prepares a
person for practice and licensure as an advanced practice registered nurse.
.
(3)
"Chief nursing academic officer" means the registered nurse who has
academic and administrative authority for the overall nursing program.
(4)
"National nursing accrediting body" means the Accreditation
Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), the Commission for Collegiate
Nursing Education (CCNE), the Commission on Nursing Education Accreditation
(CNEA), the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
(COA), or the Accreditation Commission on Midwifery Education (ACME).
(5)
"Preceptor" means an advanced practice registered nurse, a physician,
or a physician assistant who meets the standards established in Section 4 of
this administrative regulation.
Section
2. Establishing a New APRN Program of Nursing. (1) An institution may receive
consultation from the board prior to establishing an APRN program of nursing.
(2)
An institution that desires to establish and conduct an APRN program of nursing
shall be accredited as outlined in 201 KAR 20:260, Section 2(1)(a).
(3)
An institution shall submit information in the form of a letter of intent to
establish an APRN program of nursing along with the fee required by 201 KAR
20:240, Section 1(2)(q).
(4)
When the information is submitted to the board, the institution shall begin the
application process with a national nursing accrediting body and the Council on
Postsecondary Education, if applicable.
(5)
The information shall be submitted to the board at least one (1) year prior to
the first intended admission of students.
(6)
The information shall be completed under the direction of the registered nurse
who shall serve as the chief nursing academic officer or the APRN program
coordinator.
(7)
The information shall include:
(a)
General information about the governing institution including the:
1.
Mission;
2.
Ownership;
3.
Accreditation;
4.
Enrollment;
5.
Area served; and
6.
Resources that are sufficient to support defined outcomes and goals;
(b)
A description and rationale for the APRN role and population foci program which
includes the certificate or degree to be awarded;
(c)
Approval from the governing body of the institution proposing the APRN program
of nursing or other empowered approval bodies as applicable;
(d)
Results of a needs assessment, including availability of an adequate number of
potential students and employment opportunities for program graduates;
(e)
Evidence of support from the community of interest;
(f)
A description of physical or virtual resources adequate to meet the needs of
the faculty and students; and
(g)
Evidence of a sound financial base and demonstrated financial stability
available for planning, implementing, and maintaining the proposed program of
nursing.
(8)
If the information in the form of a letter of intent is approved by the board,
the governing institution shall be notified in writing that it may move to the
proposal phase. The proposal shall be submitted within one (1) year of the date
of the approval of the information or it shall expire.
(9)(a)
A completed program proposal shall be submitted to the board by the governing
institution for approval at least one (1) year prior to the first intended
admission of students.
(b)
The program proposal shall include:
1.
An organizational chart of the governing institution and a written plan which
describes the organization of the program of nursing and its relationship to
the governing institution;
2.
A designation of the current or desired national nursing accrediting body to be
used for the accreditation of the program;
3.
A copy of the curriculum vitae of the APRN identified as the APRN program
coordinator;
4.
A timeline for the admission of students, projected graduation of the first
class, and any plans for expansion;
5.
The philosophy of the APRN program and program outcomes for graduates;
6.
Curriculum design for each identified track to include:
a.
Proposed course sequence;
b.
Description of courses;
c.
Credit hours delineating those credits assigned to theory and practice; and
d.
The total number of clinical hours designated for each track or population
foci;
7.
A five (5) year plan for securing clinical sites and preceptors sufficient to
accommodate the number of students;
8.
A five (5) year plan for recruiting and retaining qualified nurse faculty; and
9.
Recruitment plan and five (5) year projection for student enrollment and
policies and procedures for student selection and progression.
(10)
The program shall not be announced or advertised, nor students admitted until
the proposal has been approved and developmental status has been granted by the
board.
(11)
Developmental status shall be the designation granted to an APRN program of
nursing that has met all the requirements of this administrative regulation
including evidence that it has applied for accreditation from a national
nursing accrediting body. Developmental status shall be for no more than a two
(2) year period of time pending review and accreditation by a national nursing
accrediting body.
(12)
When developmental status has been granted by the board, the program may
proceed with implementation including the admission of students. It shall be
the responsibility of the chief nursing academic officer to notify the board of
the admission and graduation of the first class.
(13)
Developmental status of an APRN program shall expire if a class of students is
not admitted within two (2) years of receiving developmental status.
(14)
All formal communication between the APRN program of nursing and the national
nursing accrediting body shall be forwarded to the board by the APRN program
coordinator within thirty (30) days of receipt by the program.
(15) The APRN program coordinator shall notify the board within
thirty (30) days of any change in accreditation status.
(16)
The APRN program coordinator shall notify the board of pending site visits by
the national nursing accrediting body and shall provide to the board copies of
any formal communication submitted to the national nursing accrediting body
within thirty (30) days of submission.
(17)
The decision to grant program approval by the board shall be based on review of
the following:
(a)
Achievement and continued approval by a national nursing accrediting body; and
(b)
Reports of site visits conducted by a board representative to evaluate program
compliance with administrative regulations.
(18)
The board may grant program approval for a period of time not to exceed the
approval period of the national nursing accrediting body.
Section
3. Compliance with National Nursing Accrediting Body Standards. An APRN program
shall comply with the standards of its national nursing accrediting body.
Section
4. Preceptor Standards. In addition to the standards of the national nursing
accrediting body, the APRN program shall comply with the preceptor standards established
in this section. (1) The APRN program shall secure all necessary preceptors to
students enrolled in the program. A student shall not be required to obtain
their own preceptor, but may have input into the process.
(2)
During the student’s enrollment in the program, the student shall have some
clinical experience with a preceptor who is an APRN with the same role and
population focus for which the student is preparing.
(3)
The preceptor who is an APRN shall have at least one (1) year of clinical
experience in the role and population focus for which the student is preparing.
(4)(a)
A physician or a physician assistant (PA) may serve as a preceptor.
(b)
The physician or PA who serves as a preceptor shall have at least one (1) year
of clinical experience and shall practice in the same or similar population
focus for which the student is preparing.
(5)
A preceptor shall not precept more than two (2) students at a time.
(6)
The APRN program shall have a written plan for orienting and evaluating a
preceptor.
(7)
This section shall become effective on January 1, 2016.
Section
5. Ongoing Approval. (1)(a) The chief nursing academic officer shall notify the
board within thirty (30) days of any change in the APRN program coordinator.
(b)
Approved APRN programs of nursing accredited by a national nursing accrediting
body may be subject to a site visit at intervals associated with their national
nursing accreditation.
(2)
The board requires continuous accreditation by a national nursing accrediting
body.
(3)
The board may perform a site visit of a program on an announced or unannounced
basis.
(4)
Factors that may indicate the need for a site visit and that jeopardize program
approval status shall include:
(a)
Reported deficiencies in compliance with this administrative regulation;
(b)
Noncompliance with the governing institution or program of nursing’s stated
philosophy, mission, program design, objectives, outcomes, or policies;
(c)
Ongoing failure to submit records or reports to the board within the designated
time frame;
(d)
Failure to provide sufficient clinical learning opportunities including
securing preceptors for students to achieve stated outcomes;
(e)
Failure to comply with requirements of the board or to respond to
recommendations of the board within the specified time;
(f)
Failure to submit communication from the accrediting agencies within the time
frames identified in Section 2 of this administrative regulation;
(g)
Withdrawal of accreditation of either the program of nursing, college, or
university by a national or regional accrediting body, or if accredited for
less than the maximum accreditation period;
(h)
Failure to obtain approval of a change that requires board approval prior to
implementation;
(i)
Providing false or misleading information to students or the public concerning
the program of nursing; or
(j)
A change in the ownership or organizational restructuring of the governing
institution.
(5)
If the APRN program of nursing achieves reaccreditation, it shall submit
documentation from the national nursing accrediting body to the board for
action. If the board finds that all requirements have been met, the program
shall continue to be eligible for approval.
(6)
Action following a site visit:
(a)
The board shall evaluate a program of nursing in terms of its compliance with
this administrative regulation.
(b)
Following a site visit and prior to board consideration, a draft of the site
visit report shall be made available to the chief nursing academic officer and
to the APRN program coordinator for review and correction of factual data.
(c)
The APRN program coordinator or designee shall be available during the
discussion of the report at the board committee meeting to provide
clarification.
(d)
Following the board’s review and decision, a letter shall be sent to the chief
nursing academic officer, the APRN program coordinator, and the head of the governing
institution regarding any requirements to be met along with required timelines.
Section
6. Withdrawal of Approval of an APRN Program. (1) Approval of an APRN program may
be withdrawn if:
(a)
It loses its national nursing accreditation; or
(b)
It is unable to or does not meet the requirements of this administrative
regulation.
(2)
The board shall send notice to the chief nursing academic officer, the APRN
program coordinator, and the head of the governing institution of its intent to
withdraw approval.
(3)
Within thirty (30) days of receipt of this notice, the chief nursing academic
officer may request an administrative hearing pursuant to KRS Chapter 13B. If
an administrative hearing is not requested, approval shall be withdrawn and the
program shall be closed. A closed program shall comply with 201 KAR 20:360,
Section 5(2).
(4)(a)
If a program requests an administrative hearing, that hearing shall be held
within sixty (60) days of the request.
(b)
The board shall decide whether the hearing shall be held before a hearing officer
or before the full board. (37 Ky.R. 637; Am. 1217; 1415; eff. 12-15-2010; 2895;
eff. 8-17-2011; 40 Ky.R. 1328; 1708; eff. 2-19-2014; 483; 1135; eff.
11-6-2015.)
