Section 6.2. Education Programs, Approved Lists, Distribution; Student Credits Where School Removed from List.--(a) The Board shall annually prepare and make available for public distribution a list of all programs approved and classified by it. Any student who shall be enrolled in any school which shall be removed from the approved list shall be given credit toward the satisfaction of the Board's requirements for examination for such of the requirements of the Board which any said student shall satisfactorily complete prior to the removal of said school from the approved list, and said student shall upon the satisfactory completion of the remainder of said requirements in any approved school be eligible for examination for licensure. The Board may withhold or remove any school from the approved list if the school fails to meet and maintain minimum standards, as established by regulation of the Board, of education, curriculum, administration, qualifications of the faculty, organization and function of the faculty, staff and facilities.
(b) The Board shall not fail to approve a nursing program on the grounds that such nursing program awards a diploma or associate degree rather than a baccalaureate degree.
(c) (1) Educational programs for the education of clinical nurse specialists that are operated within a regionally accredited college or university and where a master's degree, doctorate in nursing or a post-master's degree is awarded, with a program concentration in the role of a clinical nurse specialist, must be approved by a national accrediting body for nursing education programs recognized by the board and shall be considered approved programs only for the purposes of conferring certification to practice as a clinical nurse specialist.
(2) Within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this subsection, the board shall announce on its Internet website the recognized national accrediting bodies for purposes of this subsection.
(3) Within one hundred eighty (180) days of the effective date of this subsection, education programs meeting these requirements shall submit the name, address and telephone number of the program; name and curriculum vitae of the program director; and proof of accreditation to the board by a national accrediting body recognized by the board for inclusion on the list of approved clinical nurse specialist education programs.
(4) Programs created more than six (6) months after the effective date of this subsection shall submit the information required in this subsection to the board for inclusion on the list of approved programs.
((c) added July 20, 2007, P.L.320, No.49)
(6.2 amended Dec. 15, 1986, P.L.1607, No.179)
Compiler's Note: Section 5 of Act 49 of 2007, which added subsection (c), provided that the State Board of Nursing shall promulgate regulations to implement the subsection (c) within 18 months of the effective date of Act 49.