WEST virginia legislature

2019 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 594

By Senators Takubo and Maroney

[Introduced February 13, 2019; Referred
to the Committee on Education]

A BILL to amend and reenact §30-7A-8 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to granting the Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses the sole authority for the accreditation of nursing schools.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 7A. PRACTICAL NURSES.

§30-7A-8. Schools of practical nursing; accreditation; standards; surveys and reports; failure to maintain standards.

(a) A practical nursing program is determined to be board approved if approved by the board, or the program is accredited by a national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. The accreditation is considered board approved and is exempt from board rules that require ongoing approval if the school or program maintains this accreditation.

(b) By July 1, 2022, all practical nursing programs shall be accredited by a national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. A program created after July 1, 2018, shall have 5 years to obtain accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

(c) The board may require information concerning the practical nursing program to be reported to the board by legislative rule. The requested information shall be consistent with information already being collected by the schools which is required to maintain the program’s accreditation.

(d) The board shall approve a new practical nursing program until the program is accredited by a national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education

(a) The board shall prescribe curricula and standards for schools, clinical practice areas and courses preparing persons for licensure under this article; it shall provide for surveys of such schools, clinical practice areas and courses at such times as it may consider necessary.  It shall accredit such schools; clinical practice areas and courses as meet the requirements of this article and of the board. An institution desiring to conduct a school of practical nursing to be accredited by the board as such shall file an application therefor with the board, together with the information required and such fee as may be prescribed by the board.  It shall submit satisfactory evidence that: (1) It is prepared to give the course of instruction and practical experience in practical nursing as prescribed in the curricula adopted by the board; and (2) it is prepared to meet other standards established by this law and by the board.

(b) A survey of the institution or institutions, with which the school is to be, or is, affiliated, shall be made by the executive secretary of the board. The executive secretary shall submit a written report of the survey to the board. If, in the opinion of the board, the requirements for an accredited school of practical nursing are met, it shall approve the school as an accredited school of practical nursing.  From time to time as considered necessary by the board, it is the duty of the board, through its executive secretary, to survey all schools of practical nursing in the state.  Written reports of such surveys shall be submitted to the board.  If the board determines that any accredited school of practical nursing is not maintaining the standards required by the statutes and by the board, notice thereof in writing specifying the defect or defects shall be immediately given to the school.  A school which fails to correct these conditions to the satisfaction of the board within a reasonable time shall be removed from the list of accredited schools of practical nursing and is in violation of this article.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to return the power to accredit practical nursing programs to the West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses and to allow the board to establish fees for such licensing.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.