81R11598 CS-F
By: Pitts H.B. No. 3230
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the approval of out-of-state nursing education programs
by the Texas Board of Nursing.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 301.157, Occupations Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (d-4) and adding Subsection (d-8) to read as
follows:
(d-4) The board may recognize and accept as approved under
this section a school of nursing or educational program operated in
another state and approved by a state board of nursing or other
regulatory body of another state. The board shall develop policies
to ensure that the other state board's standards are substantially
equivalent to the board's standards.
(d-8) A nursing program is considered to meet standards
substantially equivalent to the board's standards if the program:
(1) is part of an institution of higher education in
another state that is approved by the regulatory authorities of
that state;
(2) holds regional accreditation by an accrediting
body recognized by the United States secretary of education and the
Council for Higher Education Accreditation;
(3) holds specialty accreditation by an accrediting
body recognized by the United States secretary of education and the
Council for Higher Education Accreditation, including the National
League for Nursing Accrediting Commission;
(4) requires for admission that an applicant be a
licensed practical or vocational nurse, military service corpsman,
paramedic, or the holder of a degree in a clinically oriented health
care field with demonstrated experience providing direct patient
care; and
(5) graduates students who:
(A) achieve program outcomes determined by the
program's faculty, including passing a nursing examination that
tests knowledge essential to beginning practice as a registered
nurse;
(B) pass an examination, developed by the
program's faculty subject matter experts, that measures clinical
competencies essential to beginning practice as a registered nurse
and meets nationally recognized standards; and
(C) pass the National Council Licensure
Examination for Registered Nurses at a rate equivalent to the
passage rate for students of board-approved in-state programs.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.