Nursing Education For Registered And Practical Nurses

01. Nursing Educational Programs. (3-28-23) a. Accreditation. To qualify as an approved education program for the purpose of qualifying graduates for licensure, the nursing education program must be currently accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, or the Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation. (3-28-23) b. Limited-Time Approval for Nursing Education Programs. (3-28-23) i. Prior to obtaining the accreditation described in Rule 150.01, a nursing education program may submit a board-approved application to qualify for a limited-time program approval demonstrating initial implementation of accreditation standards and continued compliance towards obtaining the accreditation. (3-28-23) ii. A nursing education program with limited-time approval may only qualify graduates for licensure until the program becomes accredited or until five (5) years from the date of the initial application for accreditation, whichever is less. (3-28-23) iii. A nursing education program with limited-time approval must provide an annual report. (3-28-23) iv. A nursing education program with limited-time approval must have each student prior to enrollment execute a disclosure which, at a minimum, states the following: “The nursing education program in which you are enrolling has not yet been accredited. The program is being reviewed by the [insert name of accrediting body]. This program is allowed to enroll new students because it meets the requirements of Rule 150.01.b. Any education you complete before a final determination by the [insert name of accrediting body] will satisfy associated state requirements for licensure. If the [insert name of accrediting body] ultimately determines that the program does not qualify for accreditation, you will not be made eligible for the NCLEX by the State of Idaho.” (3-28-23) v. A nursing education program with limited-time approval may not enroll any new students into the program beyond five (5) years from the date of the initial application for accreditation unless the program has a final site visit scheduled with a nursing program accreditor. (3-28-23) 02. Board Notification. (3-28-23) IDAHO ADMINISTRATIVE CODE IDAPA 24.34.01 Div. of Occupational & Professional Licenses Rules of the Idaho Board of Nursing Section 200 Page 12 a. If an accredited program or limited-time program seeking accreditation receives notice or determines that its accreditation status is in jeopardy, the institution offering the program must immediately notify the Board of its accreditation status; immediately and verifiably notify each enrolled student in writing of the program's accreditation status, including: the estimated date when the accrediting body will make its final determination as to the program's accreditation; the potential impact of a program's accreditation status on the graduate's ability to secure licensure and employment or transfer academic credits to another institution in the future; and attempt negotiations with other academic institutions to establish a transfer articulation agreement. (3-28-23) b. If a program with limited-time approval fails to achieve accreditation within the timeframe specified in Rule 150.01.b, or if a program loses its accreditation, the institution offering the program shall: submit a written report of official notice of losing accreditation or failing to achieve accreditation to the Board within ten days of receiving formal notification from the accrediting body; notify each matriculated and pre-enrollment nursing student about the program's accreditation status; inform each nursing student who will graduate from a non- accredited program that they will not be eligible for initial licensure through the state; and provide the Board with a written plan to close the program and cease operations to the Board within ten days of receiving formal notice of losing accreditation from the program's accrediting body. (3-28-23) 03. Continuance of Full Approval of Educational Program. (3-28-23) a. The Board may rescind full approval that has been granted to a nursing education program that consistently fails to meet the Board’s standards, as evidenced in the annual report, failure to include a Board representative in site visits, or unacceptable performance on a licensing examination for each program with a pass rate of less than eighty percent (80%) for its first-time writers in any given year for two consecutive calendar years. (3-28-23) 151. -- 199. (RESERVED)