Board of Nursing
Chapter 851
Division 21
STANDARDS FOR APPROVAL OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN NURSING PREPARING CANDIDATES FOR LICENSURE AS PRACTICAL OR REGISTERED NURSES
851-021-0080
Standards for Re-Entry Programs
(1) Re-entry programs must be approved by the Board before the implementation and a minimum of every 5 years thereafter.
(a) An application for program approval must include:
(A) The intended size and type of re-entry program;
(B) A written program plan addressing the standards for approval in subsection (2) of this rule;
(C) Projected number and type of faculty; and,
(D) Description and availability of educational and nursing practice experience facilities and resources, as appropriate.
(b) Program changes requiring Board approval:
(A) Change in program director;
(B) Major change in curriculum or instructional design; and,
(C) Intent to close or substantially reduce program enrollment.
(2) Standards for Approval:
(a) Faculty qualifications:
(A) The program director, each nurse educator, nurse educator associate, Clinical Nurse, and Clinical Preceptor must hold a current unencumbered license to practice as a registered nurse in Oregon;
(B) The re-entry program director and all nurse educators must:
(i) Hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree in nursing;
(ii) Have no less than three years of registered nursing experience; and
(iii) Provide evidence of a minimum of three years of academic teaching experience or demonstrated competency in teaching adult learners;
(C) Each nurse educator associate must have no less than three years of registered nursing experience and demonstrated competency in teaching adult learners;
(D) Each Clinical Nurse and Clinical Preceptor must:
(i) Agree to directly supervise and evaluate the re-entry nurse;
(ii) Have no less than two years of registered nursing experience, of which a minimum of six months must be in the setting in which the nursing practice experience is to occur; and,
(iii) Be recommended by the nurse executive or immediate supervisor in that setting.
(b) Faculty Responsibilities. The faculty must:
(A) Plan, implement, evaluate, and revise the educational program;
(B) Select and evaluate facilities for supervised nursing practice experience;
(C) Develop and use written examinations and nursing practice experience performance measures based on the registered or practical nurse scope of practice to evaluate student achievement of program outcomes and required competencies;
(D) Develop, implement, and evaluate policies related to student admission, retention, and progression, and polices related to program operations; and,
(E) Provide for student evaluation of the program.
(c) Program curriculum:
(A) Curriculum must be consistent with the law governing the practice of nursing as defined in division 45 and division 47 of the Nurse Practice Act;
(B) Curriculum plan must identify:
(i) Course length, methods of instruction, and planned learning experiences;
(ii) Course content and practice requirements for completion of the program; and,
(iii) Outcomes achieved on completion of the program; and,
(C) The curriculum must include a minimum of 120 hours of didactic instruction in current nursing practice which must be completed prior to beginning the clinical component, encompassing:
(i) The scope of nursing practice, legal and ethical perspectives, the current health care system, and working within interdisciplinary teams;
(ii) The nursing process, critical thinking, prioritizing, decision-making, and cultural competence in nursing practice;
(iii) The prescribing, directing, managing, assigning, delegating, and supervising of nursing care;
(iv) Nursing care of patients with alterations in health;
(v) Current nursing procedures and processes including use of technology in patient management, nursing practice and documentation;
(vi) Comprehensive nursing assessment;
(vii) Documentation including legal aspects of documentation; and,
(viii) Application of pharmacologic knowledge and administration of medications.
(d) Supervised nursing practice experience:
(A) The re-entry nurse must hold a limited license at the level for which the re-entry course is being taken prior to engaging in supervised nursing practice experience;
(B) Supervised nursing practice experience must be appropriate to the student's level of licensure and plan for competency development;
(C) Prior to required supervised nursing practice experience, the student must receive relevant orientation appropriate to the planned experience;
(D) Supervised nursing practice experience for nursing re-entry must be a learning role and unpaid;
(E) The re-entry program must include a minimum of 160 hours of supervised nursing practice experience that may include up to 72 hours of simulation;
(F) Up to 160 additional hours of supervised clinical practice may be required when recommended by the re-entry program director, nurse preceptor or nurse supervisor at the clinical site;
(G) Instructor-supervised clinical practice may be provided; and,
(H) The faculty-to-student ratio for instructor-supervised clinical practice must be no greater than 1:8. A lower ratio may apply when dictated by student and patient safety and learning effectiveness.
(e) Documentation of successful completion of the re-entry program must include:
(A) Completion of program outcomes;
(B) Completion of required supervised clinical practice hours;
(C) Achievement of course competencies; and,
(D) Recommendation for licensure by the re-entry program director and the clinical preceptor.
(f) The program must notify the Board representative in writing of each student's successful completion of the program, withdrawal from the program prior to completion, or failure to meet required outcomes.
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 678.150 & ORS 678.113
History:
BN 12-2022, amend filed 07/28/2022, effective 08/01/2022
BN 7-2020, adopt filed 12/11/2020, effective 01/01/2021