The Florida Senate

For a professional nursing education program, the program director and at least 50 percent of the program’s faculty members are registered nurses who have a master’s or higher degree in nursing or a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s or higher degree in a field related to nursing.

For a practical nursing education program, the program director and at least 50 percent of the program’s faculty members are registered nurses who have a bachelor’s or higher degree in nursing.

Fifty percent clinical training for a practical nursing education program, an associate degree professional nursing education program, or a professional diploma nursing education program.

Forty percent clinical training for a bachelor’s degree professional nursing education program.

The number of program faculty members equals at least one faculty member directly supervising every 12 students unless the written agreement between the program and the agency, facility, or organization providing clinical training sites allows more students, not to exceed 18 students, to be directly supervised by one program faculty member.

For a hospital setting, indirect supervision may occur only if there is direct supervision by an assigned clinical preceptor, a supervising program faculty member is available by telephone, and such arrangement is approved by the clinical facility.

For community-based clinical experiences that involve student participation in invasive or complex nursing activities, students must be directly supervised by a program faculty member or clinical preceptor and such arrangement must be approved by the community-based clinical facility.

For community-based clinical experiences not subject to subparagraph 3., indirect supervision may occur only when a supervising program faculty member is available to the student by telephone.

The initial application, if the department does not notify the educational institution of any errors or omissions within the 30-day period; or

A revised application that corrects each error and omission of which the department notifies the educational institution within the 30-day period.

Approve the application if it documents compliance with paragraphs (1)(a)-(g); or

Provide the educational institution with a notice of intent to deny the application if it does not document compliance with paragraphs (1)(a)-(g). The notice must set forth written reasons for the board’s denial of the application. The board may not deny a program application because of an educational institution’s failure to correct any error or omission of which the department does not notify the institution within the 30-day notice period under paragraph (a). The educational institution may request a hearing on the notice of intent to deny the program application pursuant to chapter 120.

For a program’s accreditation status, the specialized accrediting agencies that are nationally recognized by the United States Secretary of Education to accredit nursing education programs.

For a program’s graduate passage rates, the contract testing service of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

All documentation provided by the program in its program application if submitted on or after July 1, 2009.

The summary description of the program’s compliance submitted under subsection (4).

The program’s accreditation status, including identification of the accrediting agency if such agency is not an accrediting agency described in s. 464.003(1).

The program’s probationary status.

The program’s graduate passage rates for the most recent 2 calendar years.

Each program’s retention rates for students tracked from program entry to graduation.

An approved program must achieve a graduate passage rate that is not lower than 10 percentage points less than the average passage rate for graduates of comparable degree programs who are United States educated first-time test takers on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Examination during a calendar year, as calculated by the contract testing service of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. For purposes of this subparagraph, an approved program is comparable to all degree programs of the same program type from among the following program types:

Beginning with graduate passage rates for calendar year 2010, if an approved program’s graduate passage rates do not equal or exceed the required passage rates for 2 consecutive calendar years, the board shall place the program on probationary status pursuant to chapter 120 and the program director must appear before the board to present a plan for remediation. The program shall remain on probationary status until it achieves a graduate passage rate that equals or exceeds the required passage rate for any 1 calendar year.

Upon the program’s achievement of a graduate passage rate that equals or exceeds the required passage rate, the board, at its next regularly scheduled meeting following release of the program’s graduate passage rate by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, shall remove the program’s probationary status. However, if the program, during the 2 calendar years following its placement on probationary status, does not achieve the required passage rate for any 1 calendar year, the board shall terminate the program pursuant to chapter 120.

May not accept or enroll new students.

Must submit to the board within 30 days after the program is terminated or closed a written description of how the institution will assist in the completion of training by the program’s students and the institution’s arrangements for storage of the program’s permanent records.

The president or chief executive officer of the educational institution.

The Board of Governors, if the program is conducted by a state university.

The district school board, if the program is conducted by an educational institution operated by a school district.

The Commission for Independent Education, if the program is conducted by an educational institution licensed under chapter 1005.

The State Board of Education, if the program is conducted by an educational institution in the Florida College System or by an educational institution that is not subject to subparagraphs 2.-4.

Within 10 business days after the program ceases to be accredited, must provide written notice of the date that the program ceased to be accredited to the board, the program’s students and applicants, and each entity providing clinical training sites or community-based clinical experience sites for the program. The educational institution must continue to provide the written notice to new students, applicants, and entities providing clinical training sites or community-based clinical experience sites for the program until the program becomes an approved program or is closed under subparagraph 3.

Within 30 days after the program ceases to be accredited, must submit an affidavit to the board, signed by the educational institution’s president or chief executive officer, that certifies the institution’s compliance with subparagraph 1. The board shall notify the persons listed in subparagraph (8)(c)1. and the applicable entities listed in subparagraphs (8)(c)2.-5. if an educational institution does not submit the affidavit required by this subparagraph.

May apply to become an approved program under this section. If the educational institution:

The number of programs and student slots available.

The number of student applications submitted, the number of qualified applicants, and the number of students accepted.

The number of program graduates.

Program retention rates of students tracked from program entry to graduation.

Graduate passage rates on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Examination.

The number of graduates who become employed as practical or professional nurses in the state.

Program application approval process, including, but not limited to, the number of program applications submitted under subsection (1); the number of program applications approved and denied by the board under subsection (2); the number of denials of program applications reviewed under chapter 120; and a description of the outcomes of those reviews.

Accountability processes, including, but not limited to, the number of programs on probationary status, the number of approved programs for which the program director is required to appear before the board under subsection (6), the number of approved programs terminated by the board, the number of terminations reviewed under chapter 120, and a description of the outcomes of those reviews.