The Florida Senate

464.019  Approval of nursing programs.--

(1)  An institution desiring to conduct an approved program for the education of professional or practical nurses shall apply to the department and submit such evidence as may be required to show that it complies with the provisions of this part and with the rules of the board. The application shall include a program review fee, as set by the board, not to exceed $1,000.

(2)(a)  The board shall adopt rules, applicable to initial review and conditional approval of a program, regarding educational objectives, faculty qualifications, curriculum guidelines, administrative procedures, and clinical training. An applicant institution shall comply with such rules in order to obtain conditional program approval. No program shall be considered fully approved, nor shall any program be exempted from such rules, prior to the graduation of the program's first class.

(b)  The board shall adopt rules regarding educational objectives and curriculum guidelines as are necessary to grant full approval to a program and to ensure that fully approved programs graduate nurses capable of competent practice under this part. Rules regarding educational objectives shall consider student attrition rate standards, availability of qualified faculty, and appropriate clinical training facilities. However, the board shall adopt no rule that prohibits a qualified institution from placing a student in a facility for clinical experience, regardless of whether more than one nursing program is using the same facility for clinical experience.

(c)  The board shall adopt rules governing probation, suspension, and termination status of programs that fail to comply with the standards of this part.

(d)  The board shall not adopt any rule limiting the number of students admitted to a nursing program, provided appropriate faculty-to-student ratios are maintained, and provided the board shall not enact any changes to faculty-to-student ratios prior to 2004.

(3)  The department shall survey each institution applying for approval and submit its findings to the board. If the board is satisfied that the program meets the requirements of this part and rules pursuant thereto, it shall certify the program for approval and the department shall approve the program.

(4)  If the board, through an investigation by the department, finds that an approved program no longer meets the required standards, it may place the program on probationary status until such time as the standards are restored. If a program fails to correct these conditions within a specified period of time, the board may rescind the approval. Any program having its approval rescinded shall have the right to reapply.

(5)  Provisional approval of new programs may be granted pending the licensure results of the first graduating class.

(6)  Any nursing program that maintains accreditation through a nursing accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education shall be exempt from the rules of the board except as provided in paragraph (2)(b), provided such exemption shall apply only to the extent the program maintains a student pass rate on the National Clinical Licensure Examination of not less than 10 percentage points below the national average pass rate as reported annually by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

(7)  If an institution's passing rate on the National Clinical Licensure Examination drops below the standard established in subsection (6) for 2 consecutive years, the program must be reviewed by the board. The board may take action to assist the program to return to compliance. Any program having its approval rescinded shall have the right to reapply.

History.--ss. 1, 6, ch. 79-225; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 17, 18, ch. 86-284; s. 58, ch. 91-137; s. 5, ch. 91-156; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 11, ch. 96-274; s. 84, ch. 97-264; s. 126, ch. 2000-318; s. 7, ch. 2002-230.