Minnesota Administrative Rules

6301.2340 REQUIRED CRITERIA FOR NURSING EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

Subpart 1.

Controlling body.

The controlling body proposing a program or continuing a program must:

A.

be a Minnesota public or private postsecondary educational institution that is accredited by a regional or national accrediting association for postsecondary institutions recognized by the United States Department of Education; and

B.

provide adequate fiscal, human, physical, clinical, and technical learning resources to support program processes, security, and outcomes.

Subp. 2.

Organization and administration.

The organization, administration, and implementation of the nursing education program shall be consistent with this chapter, Minnesota Statutes, sections 148.171 to 148.285, and other applicable statutes and rules.

Subp. 3.

Nursing education program.

The nursing education program must:

A.

be an integral part of a governing academic institution;

B.

implement a comprehensive, systematic plan for ongoing evaluation that is based on program outcomes and stakeholder input regarding competence and safety. The ongoing evaluation plan must provide for continuous improvement;

C.

provide a curriculum to enable the student to develop the competence necessary for the level, scope, and standards of nursing practice consistent with the type of licensure;

D.

ensure students:

(1)

have learning activities with faculty oversight to acquire and demonstrate competence in clinical settings with patients across the life span and with patients throughout the whole wellness, acute, and chronic illness continuum;

(2)

have diverse learning activities including clinical simulations to acquire and demonstrate competence. The faculty must have oversight over the learning activities; and

(3)

provide input into the development, implementation, and evaluation of the program;

E.

ensure the director:

(1)

is academically and experientially qualified to accomplish the mission, goals, and expected student and faculty outcomes;

(2)

has a graduate degree in nursing from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university recognized by the United States Department of Education or by a comparable organization if the graduate degree is from an educational institution from a foreign country;

(3)

has a current unencumbered Minnesota registered nurse license and current registration;

(4)

is vested with the administrative authority to accomplish the mission, goals, and expected program outcomes;

(5)

provides effective leadership to the program in achieving its mission, goals, and expected program outcomes;

(6)

is given adequate time and resources to fulfill the roles and responsibilities;

(7)

communicates information about the program that is accurate, complete, consistent, and readily available; and

(8)

informs the board within 30 days of a change in the director, the name of the program, the name of the controlling body, the address of the program at each site where the program is offered, the addition or termination of a site of the program, the address of the controlling body, or control of the program. Changes in control of the program include sharing control with another body, deleting a body from sharing control, transferring control in whole or in part to another body, or merging programs formerly controlled by other bodies;

F.

ensure general principles for faculty include:

(1)

academic preparation for the areas in which they teach;

(2)

experiential preparation in the area they teach;

(3)

sufficiency in number to support the program outcomes;

(4)

provision of opportunities for ongoing development in the science of education;

(5)

nursing faculty have a major in nursing at the baccalaureate or graduate level and unencumbered licensure as a registered nurse with current registration in Minnesota; and

(6)

nonnursing faculty are sufficient in number, utilization, and credentials to meet program goals and outcomes;

G.

ensure practical nursing program faculty have a baccalaureate or graduate degree in nursing from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university recognized by the United States Department of Education or by a comparable organization if the baccalaureate- or graduate-level degree is from a foreign country;

H.

ensure professional nursing program faculty have a graduate degree for full-time faculty and the majority of part-time faculty hold a graduate degree from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university recognized by the United States Department of Education or by a comparable organization if the baccalaureate- or graduate-level degree is from a foreign country;

I.

ensure responsibilities of nursing faculty include:

(1)

developing, implementing, evaluating, and updating the purpose, philosophy, objectives, and organizational framework of the nursing education program;

(2)

designing, implementing, and evaluating the curriculum using a written plan;

(3)

developing, evaluating, and revising student admission, progression, retention, and graduation policies within the policies of the governing body;

(4)

participating in academic advising and guidance of students;

(5)

planning and providing theoretical, clinical, and simulated clinical learning activities that reflect an understanding of the philosophy, objectives, and curriculum of the nursing education program; and

(6)

evaluating student achievement of curricular objectives and outcomes related to nursing knowledge and practice;

J.

maintain minimum standard on the licensure examination of greater than 75 percent for candidates from the program who, during any January 1 through December 31 period, wrote the licensing examination for the first time; and

K.

ensure associate degree professional nursing programs provide advanced standing and transition experiences for qualified licensed practical nurses.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 148.191

History:

35 SR 1974

Published Electronically:

June 27, 2011