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D.C. Municipal Regulations (Last Updated: September 13, 2017) |
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Title 17. BUSINESS, OCCUPATIONS, AND PROFESSIONALS |
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Chapter 17-56. NURSING SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS |
Section 17-5608. PRELICENSURE NURSING EDUCATION STANDARDS
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5608.1Administration and organization of the nursing education program shall be consistent with the laws governing the practice of nursing.
5608.2The nursing education program shall be a part of an educational institution that has accreditation by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education by 2020.
5608.3Upon eligibility for accreditation, the nursing education program shall pursue accreditation and shall provide evidence of current accreditation from a national nursing accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education within twenty four (24) months of eligibility.
5608.4The nursing educational program shall be within a credit bearing educational institution.
5608.5All nursing education programs shall meet the following standards:
(a) The purpose and outcomes of the nursing program shall be consistent with accepted standards of nursing practice appropriate for graduates of the type of nursing program offered;
(b) The input of stakeholders shall be considered in developing, revising, and evaluating the purpose and outcomes of the program;
(c) The nursing program shall implement a comprehensive, systematic plan for ongoing evaluation that is based on program outcomes and incorporates continuous improvement;
(d) The curriculum shall provide diverse didactic and clinical learning experiences consistent with program outcomes;
(e) Faculty and students shall participate in program planning, implementation, evaluation and continuous improvement;
(f) The nursing program administrator shall be a professionally and academically qualified registered nurse with institutional authority and administrative responsibility for the program;
(g) Professionally, academically, and clinically qualified nurse faculty shall be sufficient in number and expertise to accomplish program outcomes and quality improvement;
(h) The fiscal, human, physical, clinical, and technical learning resources shall be adequate to support program processes, security and outcomes;
(i) Program information communicated by the nursing program shall be accurate, complete, consistent and readily available; and
(j) There shall be sufficient number of qualified faculty to meet the outcomes and purposes of the nursing education program.
5608.6Administrator qualifications for programs leading to the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) shall include:
(a) A current, active District of Columbia Registered Nurse (RN) license that is not encumbered;
(b) Minimum of a graduate degree in nursing;
(c) Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in teaching and knowledge of learning principles for adult education, including nursing curriculum development, program administration and evaluation; and
(d) A current knowledge of nursing practice at the practical nurse or associate degree registered nurse level.
5608.7Administrator qualifications for programs leading to the RN include:
(a) An active, unencumbered District of Columbia RN license;
(b) A doctoral degree in nursing, or a graduate degree in nursing and a doctoral degree;
(c) Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in nursing education, teaching and knowledge of learning principles for adult education, including nursing curriculum development, administration, and evaluation; and
(d) A current knowledge of nursing practice at the registered nursing level.
5608.8Faculty qualifications for programs leading to the Licensed Practical Nurse shall include:
(a) An active, unencumbered District of Columbia RN license;
(b) Being academically and experientially qualified with a minimum of a graduate degree in nursing, or a bachelor’s degree in nursing with a graduate degree.
(c) Knowledge of teaching and learning principles for adult education, including nursing curriculum development and course evaluation; and
(d) A minimum of two (2) years of patient care experience.
5608.9Pursuant to § 5608.8, fifty percent (50%) of full-time and part-time faculty shall have a graduate degree in nursing.
5608.10Faculty qualifications for programs leading to the RN degree shall include:
(a) An active, unencumbered District of Columbia RN license; and
(b) Academic qualifications which include a minimum of a graduate degree in nursing;
(c) Knowledge of teaching and learning principles for adult education, including nursing curriculum development and course evaluation; and
(d) A minimum of two (2) years of patient care experience.
5608.11Clinical competency shall be verified by the educational institution’s faculty prior to the use of clinical preceptors.
5608.12The criteria for selecting a preceptor shall be in writing and shall include the following:
(a) The method of selecting clinical preceptors;
(b) The orientation of clinical preceptors;
(c) The objectives or outcomes of the preceptorship; and
(d) A system for monitoring and evaluating the student’s learning experiences.
5608.13 Clinical preceptors shall have education at or above the level of the program.
5608.14 Clinical preceptors in District of Columbia health facilities shall have an unencumbered, active District of Columbia nursing licenses.
5608.15Curriculum of the nursing education program shall enable the student to develop the nursing knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for the level, scope and standards of competent nursing practice expected at the level of licensure.
5608.16Curriculum shall be revised as necessary to maintain a program that reflects advances in health care and its delivery.
5608.17The curriculum, as defined by the nursing education unit, professional and practice standards, shall include:
(a) Experiences that promote the development and subsequent demonstration of evidence-based clinical judgment, skill in clinical management, and the professional commitment to collaborate in continuously improving the quality and safety of the healthcare system for patients;
(b) Evidence-based learning experiences and methods of instruction, including distance education methods, consistent with the written curriculum plan;
(c) Coursework including, but not limited to:
(1) Content in the biological, physical, social and behavioral sciences to provide a foundation for safe and effective nursing practice;
(2) Content regarding professional responsibilities, legal and ethical issues, history and trends in nursing and health care; and
(3) Content in the prevention of illness and the promotion, restoration and maintenance of health, and end of life care in patients across the lifespan and from diverse cultural, ethnic, social and economic backgrounds.
5608.18 Patient care experiences occur in a variety of clinical settings and shall include:
(a) Integrating patient safety principles throughout the didactic and clinical experiences;
(b) Implementing evidence-based practice and patient values, including skills to identify and apply best practices to nursing care;
(c) Collaborating with inter-professional teams through open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making;
(d) Participation in quality improvement processes and monitoring patient care outcomes; and
(e) Using information technology to communicate, mitigate error, and support decision making.
5608.19 Faculty supervised clinical practice shall include:
(a) Development of skills in direct patient care;
(b) Making clinical judgments;
(c) Care and management of individuals and groups across the lifespan;
(d) Measurement of students’ competencies that focus on demonstration of care management and decision making skills when providing care;
(e) When appropriate to the level of education, the delegation and supervision of other health care providers;
(f) All student clinical experiences including those with preceptors;
(g) A minimum of six hundred fifty (650) clinical hours for programs leading to the registered nurse degree; and
(h) A minimum of six hundred (600) clinical hours for programs leading to the practical nurse degree.
5608.20Programs leading to the practical nurse degree shall include clinical experiences in the following areas:
(a) Medical nursing;
(b) Psychiatric and mental health nursing;
(c) Pediatric nursing;
(d) Community or home care; and
(e) Long-term care.
5608.21Programs leading to the registered nurse degree shall include clinical experiences in the following areas:
(a) Foundations;
(b) Medical nursing;
(c) Surgical nursing;
(d) Maternal and newborn health;
(e) Pediatric nursing;
(f) Psychiatric and mental health nursing;
(g) Community health;
(h) Acute care; and
(i) Long-term services.
5608.22 Campus laboratory experiences shall provide attainment of psychomotor skills and clinical decision making in the care of patients.
5608.23 The ratio of credit hours to laboratory hours shall not exceed one to three (1:3).
5608.24 Clinical simulations may replace a maximum of thirty percent (30%) of actual clinical experiences with the following requirements:
(a) The use of high fidelity computerized mannequins;
(b) Debriefing, using education theory;
(c) Conducted by faculty with training in clinical simulations; and
(d) The use of clinical simulations in the areas of maternal-newborn, medical-surgical, critical care, and pediatrics, and psychiatric mental health.