OAR 851-021-0010
Approval of New Nursing Education Programs
(1)
Step 1 - Letter of Intent:(a) At least one year in advance of the anticipated opening date, an institution or a program that is part of a multi-state corporate structure wishing to establish a new program in nursing must give written notification of intent to establish a new nursing education program to the Board representative, chief nurse executives of planned clinical sites, and to nursing program administrators of all existing OSBN-approved
programs.
(b) The letter of intent must include information about size and type of program proposed, projected start date, student enrollment and planned clinical sites.
(c) The nurse administrators and chief nurse executives, duly notified, have the option of responding. Such response must be sent to the appropriate Board representative within 30 days from the date on the letter of intent, and must address potential adverse impacts to other programs or clinical entities.
(d) The Board representative must retain the letters of response and send a copy of the letters to the applicant within 45 days of the date on the applicant’s letter of intent. Such letters must be included in the applicant’s preliminary application when submitted.
(2)
Step 2 - Preliminary Application(a) After receiving the letters of response from the Board representative, the applicant may make application for Preliminary approval.
(b) The preliminary application must address at least the following information:
(A) Purpose, size, and type of program proposed;
(B) Studies documenting the statewide need for graduates of the program. The study should also specifically address the need for the program in relation to the nursing needs of the geographical area to be served;
(C) An analysis of potential impact on other nursing programs in the state including:
(i) An analysis of current usage of potential clinical sites in area(s) proposed for student placements including impact on other programs placing students in clinical sites;
(ii) Projected number of faculty positions and availability of qualified faculty in the area(s) proposed for clinical placements; and,
(iii) Letters of response from Oregon-approved nursing programs addressing specific concerns regarding adverse impact on current programs;
(D) Evidence of interactions with the Nurse Administrators of currently approved nursing programs in area of planned clinical placements to discuss the impact on those nursing programs;
(E) Availability of adequate practice sites for the program with supporting documentation from persons assigned to coordinate clinical placements for each facility showing facility size, average client numbers, number of other programs hosted, and potential available placements;
(F) Plans for informing potential students of expected transportation and distance requirements for clinical experiences;
(G) Evidence of administrative and financial support for development of a nursing program;
(H) Evidence of the appointment of a qualified Nurse Administrator and sufficient administrative support staff for program development;
(I) Anticipated student enrollment and proposed date of enrollment;
(J) A program that is part of a multi-state corporate structure must address the current number of new programs in an approval process in other states, the program outcomes for nursing programs in other states inclusive of licensing examination pass rates, student retention rates, employment rates, the current faculty vacancy rate; and:
(i) Provide any contracts, charters, or documents that reflect the relationship of the Oregon program to the corporate structure; and
(ii) Evidence of local control of faculty hiring, budget, and curriculum;
(K) The Board representative must summarize the content of the letters of response and bring that summary to the Board;
(L) The applicant must respond to any Board requests for additional information;
(M) The Board, after timely review and consideration of the information contained in the letter of intent and any supplementary information, must either grant or deny permission to begin development of a nursing program, including rationale for the decision;
(N) If permission is granted:
(i) The applicant may begin preparing the Application for Developmental Approval as established in OAR 851-021-0010 (Approval of New Nursing Education Programs)(3); and,
(ii)
The Board representative must provide notice to the Nurse Administrator and academic administrator of all Oregon-based nursing education programs within 30 days of Board decision regarding approval to develop a nursing program;(O) If the applicant is denied permission to begin development of a nursing program:
(i) The program may submit a revised letter of intent and preliminary application no sooner than six months from the previous submission;
(ii) A hearing before the Board may be requested and the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act must apply; and,
(iii) If the applicant does not submit a complete developmental approval application within twelve months after the date of the Board granting permission to proceed, the permission to begin program development must expire.
(3) Step 3 - Application for Developmental Approval:
(a) An institution or program that has received approval of their letter of intent to develop a nursing program may make application for developmental approval.
(b) The developmental approval application must include at least the following information:
(A) Evidence of accreditation of the institution and all entities that are part of a multi-state corporate structure by an appropriate regional or national accrediting association or agency:
(i) Approval as a degree-granting institution of higher education in Oregon; and,
(ii) Accreditation by a regional association or national agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE);
(B) Evidence of the appointment of a qualified Nurse Administrator as specified in OAR 851-021-0045 (Standards for Approval: Nursing Faculty);
(C) Evidence that the parent institution or controlling body agrees to center the administrative control of the nursing program in the nursing program administrator and shall continue to provide the support and resources necessary to maintain the standards for approval as specified in OAR 851-021-0045 (Standards for Approval: Nursing Faculty);
(D) Administration and organizational plan delineating lines of authority and decision making impacting the nursing program;
(E) Description of proposed instructional modalities and resources to support these modalities with dates of availability;
(F) Availability of adequate practice sites for the program with supporting documentation from persons assigned to coordinate clinical placements for each facility;
(G) Availability of adequate educational facilities, services, resources, and clinical placement sites for the entire length of the program;
(H) Evidence of financial resources adequate for planning, implementation and continuation of the program, including proposed operating costs;
(I) Tentative timetable for planning the program;
(J) Tentative start date for the program;
(K) Current institution catalog(s) inclusive of all published information provided to students on accreditations and approvals; and,
(L) Signed agreement(s) for the articulation of program graduates into the next level of nursing education. The agreement(s) must be with an Oregon-based program or an on-line program that meets criteria for Oregon RN licensure and does not require residency of any length outside of Oregon. Such articulation agreement must define specific accepted credits for progression in the RN program.
(i)
Programs leading to a certificate or degree in practical nursing must have an agreement that prepares candidates for licensure as a registered nurse; and,(ii) Programs leading to an associate degree in nursing must have an agreement with program leading to a baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing.
(c) The applicant must respond to the Board’s request(s) for additional information.
(d) If the Board, after timely review and consideration of the information contained in the application and any supplementary information, including response statements from other programs, either approves or denies the application, the applicant must be notified in writing by the Board representative within 20 business days of the Board’s decision with rationale for the decision.
(e) If developmental approval is denied:
(A) The program may submit a revised developmental application no sooner than six months from the previous submission;
(B) The applicant may request a hearing before the Board and the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act must apply; and,
(C) If the applicant does not submit an application for initial approval within twelve months after the date designated for initiating the program in the approved plan, the developmental approval must expire.
(4) Step 4 - Initial Approval:
(a) Initial approval status may be applied for with documented evidence that the following conditions have been met:
(A) Application as described in OAR 851-021-0010 (Approval of New Nursing Education Programs)(2) has received Board approval;
(B) Evidence of approval for the new program has been obtained from the appropriate agencies or bodies that review and approve new programs for public and private educational institutions:
(i) An institution must provide one copy of the report that was submitted to each agency and a copy of the letter(s) indicating that approval for the program have been granted;
(ii) A program that is part of a multi-state corporate structure must provide documentation that each member institution has approved the program, as well as documentation of agency approval as above; and,
(iii) An institution licensed by the Oregon Department of Education, Private Career Schools section must provide documentation of current licensure;
(C) A timetable for onboarding faculty allows adequate time for faculty to assist with curriculum development;
(D) Evidence that a sufficient number of qualified nurse educators, other required educators and administrative support services are in place a minimum of six months prior to the beginning of the courses;
(E) Documentation of budgeted funds to cover faculty salaries;
(F) Evidence that the following have been submitted to the appropriate Board representative a minimum of three (3) months prior to initiation of the program:
(i) A tentative written proposed program plan, including curriculum developed in accordance with the Standards for Approval;
(ii) Readiness for admission of students in educational and clinical facilities including clinical placement sites for the maximum number of students enrolled at one time;
(iii) Policies for admission and progression;
(iv) A comprehensive plan for evaluation of the nursing program that addresses key outcomes and links courses as a unified whole; and,
(v)
Board-approved, signed agreement(s) for the articulation of program graduates into the next level of nursing education as established in OAR 851-021-0010 (Approval of New Nursing Education Programs) (3)(b)(L).(b) Following Board receipt and review of the information required in OAR 851-021-0010 (Approval of New Nursing Education Programs)(3), the Board may grant or deny initial approval;
(c) If initial approval is granted, a site visit may be conducted by a representative(s) of the Board;
(d) Initial approval must be received by a program prior to publication of the program and recruitment or acceptance of students for admission to the first class of nursing students;
(e) A new program may admit only one class of students per year until the entire curriculum has been taught and a full survey visit has been completed;
(f) If initial approval is denied, the applicant may request a hearing before the Board and the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act must apply;
(g) Interim visits and progress reports may be requested by the Board at any time during the initial approval phase and following initial approval as deemed necessary by the Board; and,
(h) If the institution or consortium does not admit a class within twelve months after the date designated for initiating the program, the initial approval must expire.
(5) Step 5 - Final Approval:
(a) Eligibility for final approval occurs after the graduation of the first class of students;
(b) Within six months following graduation of the first class, the program must submit a self- study report addressing compliance with the Standards for Approval (OAR 851-021-0040 (Standards for Approval: Organization and Administration) through 851-021-0070 (Standards for Approval: Evaluation)) and a survey visit must be made for consideration of approval of the program;
(c) The decision of the Board to grant or deny approval must be based upon review of a self-study report submitted by the program addressing compliance with Board standards, of the success rate of graduates on the national licensure examination, and of a survey report by a representative(s) of the Board; and,
(d) If approval is denied, the applicant may request a hearing before the Board and the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act must apply.
Source:
Rule 851-021-0010 — Approval of New Nursing Education Programs, https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/view.action?ruleNumber=851-021-0010.