~~§30-7-5. Schools of nursing; accreditation; standards; surveys and reports; failure to maintain standards.~~

An institution desiring to be accredited by the board for the preparation of practitioners of registered professional nursing shall file an application therefor with the board, together with the information required and a fee of $50. It shall submit written evidence that: (a) It is prepared to give a program of nursing education which meets the standards prescribed by the board; and (b) it is prepared to meet all other standards prescribed in this article and by the board.

Instruction and practice may be secured in one or more institutions approved by the board. Such institution or institutions with which the school is to be affiliated shall be surveyed by the executive secretary of the board, who shall submit a written report of the survey to the board. If, in the opinion of the board, the requirements for an accredited school to prepare practitioners of registered professional nursing are met, it shall approve the school as an accredited school. From time to time as deemed necessary by the board, it shall be the duty of the board, through its executive secretary, to survey all such schools. Written reports of such surveys shall be submitted to the board. If the board determines that any such accredited school is not maintaining the standards required by this article 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.

(a) A nursing program is determined to be board approved if the program is accredited by a national nursing 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 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 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 nursing program until the program is accredited by a national nursing accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

(a) Full-time nursing faculty members shall:

(1) Have a graduate degree with a major in nursing; have a bachelor’s degree with a major in nursing and be enrolled in a graduate degree program with a major in nursing within one year of employment as a faculty member; or have a bachelor’s degree with a major in nursing and at least 10 years of direct patient care experience in nursing;

(2) Have evidence of current experience in nursing practice and education sufficient to demonstrate professional competence. For faculty with less than two years’ experience in education, the nursing program administrator will submit to the board mentoring and orientation plans as defined by board guidelines and function under the guidance of a faculty member fully qualified in the specific teaching area and professional competence; and

(3) Have credentials which verify status as a registered professional nurse in West Virginia.

(b) Part-time nursing faculty members shall:

(1) Have a graduate degree with a major in nursing; have a bachelor’s degree with a major in nursing and be enrolled in a graduate degree program with a major in nursing within one year of employment as a faculty member; or have a bachelor’s degree with a major in nursing and at least two years of direct patient care experience in nursing;

(3) Have credentials which verify status as a registered professional nurse in West Virginia.

(c) The board may grant an exception to the requirements in §30-7-21(a) and §30-7-21(b) of this code for faculty members who have qualifications other than those set forth in these subsections which are acceptable to the board.

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 deem 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.

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 deemed necessary by the board, it shall be 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 shall be in violation of this article. Nothing contained in this article shall infringe upon the rights or power of the state Board of Education, or county boards of education to establish and conduct a program of practical nurse education or other health occupation so long as the prescribed curricula meets the requirements of the board.

(a) A practical nursing program is determined to be board approved if the program is accredited by a national nursing 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 nursing accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

Adopted

Rejected