LAC 46:XLVII.3523. Major/Substantive Changes: Undergraduate and Graduate Nursing Education Degree Programs (Formerly §§3525 and 3537)

A. Undergraduate and/or graduate nursing education degree program(s) shall notify the board of major/substantive changes (refer to §3503). B. The undergraduate and/or graduate nursing education degree program(s) shall submit to the board two paper copies and one electronic copy of the following: 1. alteration, other than editorial, in undergraduate and/or graduate nursing education degree program(s’) mission/philosophy and outcomes as follows: a. letter of intent with timeline for proposed change; b. rationale for proposed change; c. evidence of approval by institution and/or accreditation agencies; d. concise presentation of current mission/philosophy, and outcomes to proposed change; e. planned method for evaluation for proposed change; f. discussion of potential impact of proposed change on current students; g. copy of reports submitted to the accreditation agencies; and h. copy of action by accreditation agencies; 2. change in legal status of the undergraduate and/or graduate nursing education degree program(s) as follows: a. letter of notification with timeline for change; b. discussion of potential impact of change of legal status on program and students; c. copy of reports submitted to the accreditation agencies; and d. copy of action by accreditation agencies; 3. change in status with regulatory, governmental or institutional accreditation on the undergraduate and/or graduate nursing education degree program(s) as follows: a. letter of notification with timeline for change in regulation, government or institutional accreditation; b. discussion of potential impact of change in regulation, governmental or institution accreditation on program and current students; c. copy of reports submitted to the accreditation agencies; and d. copy, if action by accreditation agencies; 4. reduction in resources impacting the sustainability of the undergraduate and/or graduate program(s) as follows: a. letter of notification and identification of resources reduced; b. discussion of potential impact of reduction of resources on sustainability of program and current students; c. action plan to address impact of reduction in resources impacting sustainability of the program; d. copy of reports submitted to the accreditation agencies; and e. copy of action by accreditation agencies; 5. reduction in faculty size exceeding 25 percent and in faculty exceptions exceeding 20 percent of full-time faculty employed as follows: a. letter of notification of faculty turnover greater than 25 percent or faculty exceptions greater than 20 percent of full time faculty; b. of contributing factors for excessive turn over and requirement for exceptions to faculty qualification; c. discussion of potential impact on program and current students; d. plan for improvement; e. copy of reports submitted to the accreditation agencies; and f. copy of action by accreditation agencies; 6. addition or deletion of clinical role/population preparing APRNs in an approved graduate nursing education degree program as follows: a. addition of clinical role/population preparing APRNs in an approved graduate nursing education degree program as follows: i. letter of request for approval of addition of APRN role/population; ii. copy of the mission/philosophy, goals and outcomes; iii. curriculum course sequencing, lists all courses required within the program of study; iv. course syllabus for the course/clinical experience(s) to be offered, which specifies the related outcomes of the offering; v. current electronic copy of school catalog; vi. evidence of meetings or communications with chief nurse administrators of approved Louisiana graduate nurse education degree programs; vii. timeline for implementation of a clinical role/population preparing APRN’s; viii. copy of reports submitted to the accreditation agencies; and ix. copy of action by accreditation agencies; b. deletion of clinical role/population preparing APRNs in an approved graduate nursing education degree program as follows: i. a letter of intent for deletion of APRN role/population; ii. rationale for deletion of APRN role/population; iii. timeline for phase out of APRN role/population; iv. method of notification of student; v. discussion of potential impact on nursing education degree program and current students; vi. copy of reports submitted to the accreditation agencies; and vii. copy of action by accreditation agencies; 7. implementation of innovative strategies in undergraduate and/or graduate nursing education degree program(s) with a focus to include but not limited to student enrollment, retention, and graduation rates; test previous models of nursing education and develop and test new models of nursing education as follows: a. pilot study of innovative strategy as follows: i. letter of request to pilot innovative strategy; ii. rational for planned innovative strategy; iii. outline of plan for innovative strategies to include timeframe, goals, expected outcomes and method of evaluation; iv. discussion of potential impact on program and current students; v. copy of reports submitted to the accreditation agencies; and vi. copy of action by accreditation agencies; b. post-completion of pilot as follows: i. evaluation report of pilot; ii. request for full implementation to include timeline and impact on program and current students; or iii. notification of intent to not initiate and rationale; 8. addition or deletion of more than 10 percent of the semester credit hours from the undergraduate and/or graduate nursing education degree program(s) of studies as follows: a. letter of intent for proposed change in credit hours; b. rationale proposed change in credit hours; c. mission/philosophy, program goals and student learning outcomes; d. course outcomes and course outlines; e. concise presentation of current and proposed curriculum; f. time table for implementation of the change in curriculum; g. explanation of the anticipated effect on currently enrolled students; to include a phase out plan and transition to new curriculum; h. planned method for evaluating the results of the change; i. method of notification of current students affected by the changes; j. copy of reports submitted to the accreditation agencies; and k. copy of action by accreditation agencies; 9. change in student enrollment, achievement, completion rates, graduation rates, pass rates for NCLEX-RN and certification as follows: a. letter of notification of changes in student enrollment, achievement, completion rates, graduation rates, pass rates for NCLEX-RN and certification; b. evaluation of contributing factors; c. action plan for improvement to include timeline; d. copy of reports submitted to the accreditation agencies; and e. copy of action by accreditation agencies; and 10. addition or deletion of a major clinical facility providing students' clinical experiences in undergraduate and/or graduate nursing education degree program(s) as follows: a. letter of notification to include impact on the program; b. action plan for additional clinical placement; c. copy of reports submitted to the accreditation agencies; and d. copy of action by accreditation agencies.