Published: 2015-07-08
Key Benefits:
The board shall prepare and maintain a list of approved schools of nursing in this state whose graduates, if they have the other necessary qualifications provided in this chapter, shall be eligible to apply for a license to practice nursing in this state.
(Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 742, Sec. 5.)
The board shall establish a workgroup, or use an existing committee, to encourage and facilitate efficient transfer agreements or other enrollment models between associate degree nursing programs and baccalaureate degree nursing programs so students are able to complete the baccalaureate program without unnecessary repetition of coursework.
(Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 271, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005.)
(a) An approved school of nursing, or an approved nursing program, is one that has been approved by the board, gives the course of instruction approved by the board, covering not less than two academic years, is affiliated or conducted in connection with one or more hospitals, and is an institution of higher education. For purposes of this section, “institution of higher education” includes, but is not limited to, community colleges offering an associate of arts or associate of science degree and private postsecondary institutions offering an associate of arts, associate of science, or baccalaureate degree or an entry-level master’s degree, and is an institution that is not subject to the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 94800) of Part 59 of Division 10 of Title 3 of the Education Code).
(b) A school of nursing that is affiliated with an institution that is subject to the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 94800) of Part 59 of Division 10 of Title 3 of the Education Code), may be approved by the board to grant an associate of arts or associate of science degree to individuals who graduate from the school of nursing or to grant a baccalaureate degree in nursing with successful completion of an additional course of study as approved by the board and the institution involved.
(c) The board shall determine by regulation the required subjects of instruction to be completed in an approved school of nursing for licensure as a registered nurse and shall include the minimum units of theory and clinical experience necessary to achieve essential clinical competency at the entry level of the registered nurse. The board’s standards shall be designed to require all schools to provide clinical instruction in all phases of the educational process.
(d) The board shall perform or cause to be performed an analysis of the practice of the registered nurse no less than every five years. Results of the analysis shall be utilized to assist in the determination of the required subjects of instruction, validation of the licensing examination, and assessment of the current practice of nursing.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 789, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2013.)
A private postsecondary school of nursing approved by the board pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 2786 shall comply with Chapter 8 of Part 59 of Division 10 of Title 3 of the Education Code. The board shall have a memorandum of understanding with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education to delineate the powers of the board to review and approve schools of nursing and the powers of the bureau to protect the interest of students attending institutions governed by the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009, Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 94800) of Division 10 of Title 3 of the Education Code.
(Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 789, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2013.)
(a) An institution of higher education or a private postsecondary school of nursing approved by the board pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 2786 shall remit to the board for deposit in the Board of Registered Nursing Fund the following fees, in accordance with the following schedule:
(1) The fee for approval of a school of nursing shall be five thousand dollars ($5,000).
(2) The fee for continuing approval of a nursing program established after January 1, 2013, shall be three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500).
(3) The processing fee for authorization of a substantive change to an approval of a school of nursing shall be five hundred dollars ($500).
(b) If the board determines that the annual cost of providing oversight and review of a school of nursing, as required by this article, is less than the amount of any fees required to be paid by that institution pursuant to this article, the board may decrease the fees applicable to that institution to an amount that is proportional to the board’s costs associated with that institution.
(Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 789, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2013.)
The board shall deny the application for approval made by, and shall revoke the approval given to, any school of nursing which:
(a) Does not give to student applicants credit, in the field of nursing, for previous education and the opportunity to obtain credit for other acquired knowledge by the use of challenge examinations or other methods of evaluation; or,
(b) Is operated by a community college and discriminates against an applicant for admission to a school solely on the grounds that the applicant is seeking to fulfill the units of nursing required by Section 2736.6.
The board shall prescribe, by regulation, the education for which credit is to be given and the amount of credit which is to be given for each type of education. The word “credit,” as used in the preceding sentence, is limited to credit for licensure only. The board is not authorized to prescribe the credit which an approved school of nursing shall give toward an academic certificate or degree.
(Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 742, Sec. 8.)
It shall be the duty of the board, through its executive officer, to inspect all schools of nursing in this state at such times as the board shall deem necessary. Written reports of the executive officer’s visits shall be made to the board, which shall thereupon approve those schools of nursing that meet the requirements provided by the board.
Upon receiving the report of the executive officer, if the board determines that any approved school of nursing is not maintaining the standard required by the board, notice thereof in writing specifying the defect or defects shall be immediately given to the school. If the defects are not corrected within a reasonable time, the school of nursing may be removed from the approved list and notice thereof in writing given to it.
(Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 742, Sec. 10.)
None of the provisions of this chapter shall be applicable to any school or schools conducted by any well recognized church or denomination for the purpose of training the adherents of such church or denomination in the care of the sick in accordance with its religious tenents.
(Added by Stats. 1939, Ch. 807.)
