848 IAC 1-2-5 Accreditation status

Sec. 5. (a) Initial accreditation shall be granted to a new program that meets the regulations for opening a nursing program until the first class graduates. (b) Full accreditation shall be granted to a program following the initial accreditation, providing it meets the following regulations for Indiana accredited programs in nursing: (1) Criteria indicating a program's successful attainment of state standards shall include the rate of successful completion of the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). If a program's annual rate of successful completion of the NCLEX is lower than one (1) standard deviation below the average national pass rate for first time U.S. educated and U.S. territory candidates for three (3) consecutive years, the program shall submit a report to the board outlining the following: (A) Results of the faculty's review of factors that may have contributed to the low pass rate, including, but not limited to, the following: (i) Curriculum content. (ii) Curriculum design. (iii) Outcome evaluation. (iv) Admission policies. (v) Progression policies. (vi) Graduation policies and annual number of graduates for the period in question. (vii) Factors of graduate performance documented by faculty to be outside the control of the program. (B) The faculty's plan for correction with identified implementation dates and expected levels of achievement for any identified problems as result of evaluation. (2) If the program's next annual rate of successful completion of the NCLEX is lower than one (1) standard deviation below the average national pass rate for first time U.S. educated and U.S. territory candidates, the board shall send a surveyor to review the program's ability to comply with this article. After review of the survey visit report and a meeting with the program representatives, the board shall determine the accreditation status. (3) The accreditation status shall be communicated to the program in writing. (c) Conditional accreditation shall be granted to a program that fails to maintain the legal requirements for accreditation. Written notification from the board shall specify requirements to be met in order to comply with accreditation standards and a definite amount of time that will be given for the program to meet this article. (d) The program shall be revisited by a representative of the board or a survey visitor appointed by board, or both, and be given an opportunity for a hearing before accreditation is withdrawn. Withdrawal of accreditation may occur if the program, which has been placed on conditional accreditation, fails to prove compliance with IC 25-23, this title, and any additional requirements imposed by the board. The program shall assist students in transferring to accredited programs. A program with accreditation that has been withdrawn may apply for reinstatement by following the procedure established in section 1 of this rule.